The success of the iGaming industry caught the world by storm in the past couple of years. Not only are these sites generating massive revenue, but they are also likely to become the leaders in the gambling industry by 2025. In 2019 and 2020, their annual revenue on the global scale exceeded $60 billion, which equals to a fifth of the revenue made by all gambling facilities.
That number is likely to exceed $100 billion in 2025 and India will play a major role in that milestone. Why? Because this country is one of the most sought out markets for the iGaming industry. That is exactly the topic that we wanted to discuss in this article. We are going to take a look at how players can access these sites, what does the law say, etc. Let’s dive into the details.
How Can Players Access Online Sportsbooks and Online Casinos?
The law that regulates all gambling activities in India is the Public Gambling Act of 1867 does not allow any operators to be based in India, but offshore sites are more than welcome to offer their services to the people. Online betting is a major thing in India as the people there register and place bets on various sports events such as cricket, football, and kabaddi every day.
But, since no commission licenses and regulates online sportsbooks in India, players must rely on international regulatory bodies. That is why they need to check whether the online sportsbook is licensed or not. Licenses are usually displayed at the bottom of the home page and if the chosen site does not possess one, then it is most likely a scam and players should not engage with it. The list of the best betting sites in India consists of all sportsbooks that are licensed and trustworthy.
The case is the same with online casinos. Foreign operators are more than welcome to offer their services to Indian players. The best casino sites are licensed by the likes of the UK Gambling Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority. Curacao Gaming is also known for licensing online casinos that operate in Asia.
Players might need a VPN to access these sites, but since the industry is not regulated very well, they face no penalties and are not pursued by the government if they decide to register and play at either online sportsbooks or online casinos.
What Does the Public Gambling Act of 1867 Say?
As stated earlier, the Public Gambling Act of 1867 is the law that regulates all land-based and online gambling activities in India. According to this law, all forms of gambling are formally considered illegal. The only 3 provinces where gambling facilities can operate legally are Goa, Sikkim, and Daman. Out of these three, only Sikkim regulates online gambling.
So, the question is – if online gambling is considered illegal, then how can Indian players access these sites with no repercussions? The answer is simple. The Public Gambling Act is considered wildly outdated and does not have any specific legislation concerning online gambling. Not only that, but the government hasn’t made any moves towards regulating this industry.
That means that it is practically powerless and cannot control it. While it is easy to shut down operators that are based in India, the law does not apply to foreign operators, which is why they are always operating in this region. So, since the government does not have the means to pursue legal matters, it doesn’t even try to stop its players from accessing and playing at these sites.
Over the years, online gambling has become extremely popular in this country, which is why the government is under a pressure recently to finally legalize it and regulate it.