Online gaming is seeing a spike in revenue and total players worldwide, and every year, the trend for the amount of money spent on websites and apps rises. In India, there is no shortage of gaming content, and many international casinos are finally marketing successfully to this region despite brick and mortar gambling laws. As the interest among players is ever-growing, the Indian authorities are preparing for the full legalization of gambling.
Positive Market Statistics in the Gaming Industry
India has one of the fastest-growing Internet gambling markets, despite apps operating in the grey area of the law. Although gambling is heavily restricted except for horse racing and lotteries, it’s not illegal for non-Indian casino companies to focus on Indian players. If there were gambling laws to regulate the markets, it’s possible that India could become more of a global powerhouse than it currently is.
Real money gambling in India continues to grow at a rate of 20% per year, despite the restrictions in place. It’s possible that at this rate, their market could exceed $1 billion by 2021. Once the government started to track this growth in 2015, a strong trend has developed thanks to the improved access to the internet in rural areas.
Needless to say, there’s a large market waiting to be cracked open, with websites like Casumo India leading the charge by offering to play slots, blackjack, poker, and more in rupees. As of November 2019, there were 227 million active internet users out of a total of 504 in India, with half a billion of the reported using mobile devices routinely.
Mobile Gambling is King
In the past decade, 80% of Indians gamble at least once a year, either on sports, casino table games, or slots. Betting on horse racing is the most popular form of betting, but online it’s common for Indians to bet on sports like field hockey and cricket. Slots and video poker are also popular due to their accessibility on most mobile gambling platforms. Due to the high reliance on cellular gadgets for online entertainment, these games will likely gain more traction.
Over the past few years, Indian mobile phone users have sky-rocketed with the most active market being male over 20 and under 44 years old, located in South India. Although it’s possible to access many of these online casinos through laptops and desktop computers, mobile is the preferred way for Indian players to consume gambling entertainment.
Cricket Betting
Online gambling websites that offer sports betting on cricket games always fair better than those who don’t due to the popularity of the sport in India. With cricket dating back to the days of the British Empire, cricket is seen as part of India’s national identity. Interest spikes during international tournaments and games against Pakistan – their long-term rivals. The IPL sees the most money wagered for the sport. To bet legally and safely, Indians enjoy sport betting through online realtors from overseas companies.
The Future of Gambling in India
Despite the want for a broader, more legal gambling industry, the government won’t bring money to the state coffers. Since The Public Gaming Act was established in 1967, land-based casinos are prohibited, and breaking this law received significant jail time. Although Indian lawmakers are paying attention to this growth, the wheels are slow-moving due to the mixture of morality and religious sentiment towards the act.
India’s gambling industry generates a lot of outsider interest, with companies such as Ladbrokes and William hill looking to covet gambling licenses by the state of Sikkim. Currently, Sikkim is the only Indian state that offers gambling licenses, but there’s a hope others’ will follow suit and quickly – because India is losing revenue in this market.
