Last Updated by Nancy Sharma on January 8, 2024
Any Indian resident who’s ever wondered whether betting is legal in this country or has been worrying about inadvertently breaking the law by partaking in online betting has come to the right place. Here we discuss all you need to know about betting sites in India, and we share relevant data on trusted betting sites you can join in India. All info here is supplied by our experts who’ve done their homework and researched every aspect of online betting in India, putting your mind at ease by sharing knowledge on legal, safe betting sites, favorite sports, betting bonuses, and much more. Let’s dive right in!
Hands down, the best selection for Indian players!
If you wonder is online betting legal in India, you are not the only one, as some complex laws and rules are at play that confuse people. The federal Public Gambling Law has been active since 1867 when India was under British rule, and the stipulations of this law greatly reflect the climate of that time.
Still, amendments have been made to the PGA, but none relate to online gambling or betting and what it entails, making online betting an unregulated area. As a result, you can freely join an online betting site and enjoy what they offer. However, it would be best to remember that you should only join international, offshore betting sites that accept deposits in Indian Rupees so as not to violate the FEMA act.
Note: We are only providing general information and are in no way providing legal advice.
When considering the online betting site to join from India, you need to note that there is no substitute for joining a trusted betting site, and here are the main benefits:
Trusted betting sites have adequate online licenses from reputable authorities, which ensures they provide safe, legal, and regulated betting services. The license proves that the online betting site is regulated by a particular regulatory body that keeps an eye on things and ensures the betting site upholds the rules on user safety, payouts, and other crucial aspects.
Licensed and regulated online betting sites respect the set guidelines and treat all their members fairly. Also, the license/regulatory body ensures any complaint filed against the online betting site is adequately addressed and resolved.
Trusted betting sites are audited by regulatory bodies, which also check how private data is stored and handled and how the customer’s deposits are treated. So, when you join a trusted online betting platform, you know your deposit is kept safe from loss or abuse.
The trusted online betting sites offer fast and convenient withdrawals of any winnings. Reputable betting platforms usually offer fast withdrawal times ranging from one to 72 hours, depending on the withdrawal method, and they support withdrawals in Indian Rupees.
Always join reputable, licensed, trusted online Indian betting sites that accept deposits in Indian Rupees.
Opposite of joining a trusted betting site in India, joining a disreputable betting site poses a severe threat. The dangers far outweigh the good things, and you risk:
Scam betting sites don’t have any security measures to keep user data safe and secure. These usually have expired SSL certificates and no data encryption, exposing your private details.
Scam betting sites usually don’t have secure payment accounts or channels, which exposes user data like payment details to hackers. This is one of the most severe problems you can get by sharing payment details with betting sites with shady dealings.
Scam or disreputable betting sites also threaten your device, as you can download malware or a virus that could ruin the data stored on the device.
Maybe the worst thing you can experience when betting at poor-quality betting sites does not have a proper way to withdraw your money. Even if the betting options and odds are good, not having a convenient way to withdraw your winnings is a severe problem, and you should avoid such sites.
Joining a scam betting site will certainly harm your online safety.
When we talk about what it means to be a trusted betting site in India, there are some key aspects that you need to be aware of:
A safe and trusted online betting site in India will have plenty of positive reviews online. People like to talk about their experiences with online sites, and they will share their experiences on online review sites. Look for an online betting site in India that enjoys positive online reviews on credible review platforms.
An up-to-date license is vital for a betting platform to be considered trusted. The ones licensed by reputable licensing bodies will always share their licenses on the website, presenting the license and the governing body badge as proof of their legitimacy.
Trusted betting sites strive to have user-friendly design and intuitive navigation, always serving the needs and wants of their customers. Much work and effort go into designing a user-friendly online platform. This is why trusted online Indian betting sites put design and usability in a prime place, ensuring their new and experienced members can easily navigate all the betting site’s features.
Always join trusted betting sites to ensure a quality experience.
Now that you know that online betting is legal in India and know the differences between trusted and scam betting sites, let’s talk about how you can start betting online in India:
Sports betting odds depict the probability a certain outcome of a game will happen. The odds also determine how much a sports bettor will win if they bet on a particular outcome. The bookmakers or the online betting sites set the odds, and they always have the house edge calculated within them. The odds can be displayed in several ways:
Indian punters prefer fractional and decimal odds when betting online!
We touched on the importance of looking for online betting sites in India that accept deposits in Indian Rupees. The FEMA act prevents exchanging currencies on unauthorized sites, which is why you should only join online Indian betting sites that accept the local currency ₹.
We’ve checked this for you, and here we suggest only online betting sites that accept deposits in Indian Rupees using the Indian-favorite payment methods like UPI, PayTM, PhonePe, MuchBetter, AstroPay, Google Pay, Visa, MasterCard, Skrill, Neteller, and the like.
We have checked and separated the top options regarding trusted betting sites in India. From all the betting platforms we have for you here, we have separated the top three betting sites, as we believe these provide the best, all-encompassing services for Indian bettors.
22Bet is among the best betting sites in India and is among the largest online sportsbooks worldwide. The sports betting offered at 22Bet is very varied and includes the Indian-favorite cricket, football, tennis, and even kabaddi; they also have an amazing casino section with all the games Indians find attractive.
22Bet is licensed with a Curacao license, has an active SSL certificate, and complies with the KYC/AML policies. It supports deposits in Indian Rupees, has all the Indian-favorite deposit methods, and, more importantly, has a fast withdrawal policy.
The platform has live betting, a cash-out feature, and live streaming on various sports, and on top of everything, they grant a 100% welcome deposit match. For more info, read our detailed 22Bet review.
Betway is another trusted online betting site in India with an excellent global online reputation and one of the best betting sites in India. It has almost all the sports one can think of, with a particular emphasis on cricket, India’s favorite sport to bet on, and an impressive casino offer.
The betting platform has a UK Gambling Commission and a Malta Gaming Authority license and has an Indian site specializing in the needs and wants of Indian punters. The platform accepts all the Indian-preferred payment methods, has a quick withdrawal option, and a tempting welcome bonus with a deposit match and a free bet.
We have done a detailed review of Betway, where you’ll find all the platform’s critical aspects, but we suggest you check out the Betway mobile app, a legal betting app in India and excellent mobile betting experience.
We round out the top-three picks with 1xBet, another impressive online sportsbook and casino. 1xBet is the biggest sports betting platform in India, and it has all the India-favorite sports to bet on: cricket, football, tennis, kabaddi, horse racing, and more.
The 1xBet online betting platform has an adjoined casino section with impressive casino games and appealing welcome bonuses. This trusted online Indian betting site also provides promo codes and occasional promo deals with bigger bonuses and even free bets.
1xBet supports live streaming, live betting, a cash-out feature, and more; they also have all the preferred payment methods for Indians and accept deposits and withdrawals in Indian Rupees. While the website may initially look a bit cluttered, one can very quickly find their way around and find a sport they wish to bet on. We wrote a detailed review on 1xBet, which can make things more transparent for you.
Betting apps are another convenient way to bet online in India, as these are installed on your mobile device, and you can place bets anywhere, anytime. Almost all reputable online betting sites have legal betting apps in India which can usually be found and downloaded via the official sportsbook website or on Google Play and the App Store.
Most betting apps follow the same outline and design as their desktop counterpart, making the experience and transition from desktop to mobile smooth. The betting apps in India are legal to use, so you can freely download and use one on your smartphone
Many reputable, high-quality online betting sites also support live streaming various sports events. Live streaming means you can watch a particular game stream live via the betting site, another convenient feature that allows you to enjoy the live stream of a sport you usually can’t watch live.
The live streams are usually in the corner of the screen, and the betting site allows you to enlarge the window and watch your game. Still, one needs a fast and reliable internet connection to watch live streams via an online betting site.
In live streaming, you can watch the live game via the sports betting site.
Live betting differs from live streaming; in live betting, you can bet on a game that has already started. Sites like 1xBet, Betway, 22Bet, and others have live betting options. Live betting comes with changing odds – they change as the game progresses, which is part of the appeal.
Live betting, also called in-play betting, has changed the way sports betting is done, as it has made possible many other bet types that depend on the game’s progress. Live betting has become increasingly popular, and tech advances are responsible; however, they may encourage impulse betting.
Live betting is fun and appealing but can prompt impulse betting, which can have adverse effects.
Cricket is the second-most popular sport globally and the primary in India, which means Indians love to bet on cricket. The top trusted betting sites in India all provide cricket betting. Most carry the IPL, the ICC, and the Asia Cup, but many also offer international cricket events to bet on. While there are the most commonly found bets, cricket betting is a fast-paced game, which is why it is one of the favorites for live betting. Please read our complete cricket betting guide here for info on cricket betting in India.
Football is the world’s favorite sport and enjoys high popularity with Indian sports bettors. All the online trusted betting sites carry the football in their sportsbooks, and almost all allow live betting on football. An Indian punter can find all the major football events on the top trusted betting sites in India, like the FIFA Champions League, the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Europa League, the UK Premier League, and more. We’ve made a detailed guide on football betting, with odds, bets, and top sites in India to bet on football.
Horse races made betting popular among the masses, and Indians find horse race betting a favorite activity. Still, not all online sportsbooks carry horse race betting, but the top trusted online betting sites we’ve recommended for you here all have horse racing in their list of sports. Indian punters can bet on horse races held in India and international events from all over the world. We’ve covered horse race betting in India in a separate guide where you can learn more about betting on this sport.
Kabaddi is a predominantly Indian sport that people have played since childhood, and Indian sports bettors love to bet on kabaddi. Kabaddi is fun and dynamic and has many betting options that Indians love. The top betting sites in India all carry kabaddi betting, and some even have live betting on popular kabaddi events like the Pro Kabaddi League and the Super Kabaddi League. We’ve made a detailed kabaddi betting guide where we cover each aspect at length.
Tennis is also a popular sport worldwide, and Indian sports bettors are not an exception to the trend of tennis betting. All quality online sportsbooks carry tennis betting; many even have promo deals one can use to bet on tennis. With so many global tennis events all year round, Indian punters have no shortage of tennis events to bet on. We’ve covered tennis betting in a separate guide with detailed info on events and betting options for Indians.
While ultimately winning a sports bet does not depend on you but on the game’s outcome, you can do some things to increase your chances of winning in sports betting. Here are some sports betting tips that you can use when placing a bet on a trusted online betting site in India:
Strive to use the sports betting bonuses and promo codes, as these are free money that you can utilize. Many online sports betting sites give a free bet to new members, and if you place a good bet, you stand to win a good amount without investing your money.
Loyalty programs are a regular occurrence with online betting sites, used to entice and reward regular players. The loyalty programs come with money-back options, occasional free bets, and point-based programs where the players gather points with every bet they place.
When betting on sports, good advice is to think with your head, not your heart. This means to think about the odds and not bet on your favorite team but on the team with the most likelihood of winning.
Only bet on sports you know, and avoid betting on sports you know nothing about. When you bet on sports you know, you increase your winning chances as you understand the rules, know the stats, and can make a somewhat accurate prediction on the possible outcome.
We’ve separated the top trusted betting sites in India for you here, as each has appealing bonuses and good features and enjoys an excellent online reputation in India.
Online betting is safe in India if you join offshore, international betting sites with adequate licenses and reasonable security measures that accept deposits and withdrawals in Indian Rupees.
Sports betting is actually legal in India; when it comes to online betting, it is not legal but it is not illegal, making it possible for Indians to join online betting sites and place bets.
Yes, you can place online bets in India, as this is not legal or illegal. You can legally and safely partake in online betting if you place bets with trusted international betting sites unrelated to India.
All trusted betting sites in India have welcome bonuses that sports bettors can use to place bets on sports they like. Most also have occasional free bets, other promo deals, and bonuses for their members.
To get a welcome bonus on a betting site, you need to join the website, opt in for the welcome bonus, and make the required minimum deposit; the welcome bonus amount will be automatically credited to your account.
Depositing money on a betting site is easy, as reputable, trusted online betting sites have made it effortless to join and deposit money. You need to register with the chosen online betting site, link the appropriate payment method that works best for you and follow the on-screen instructions to finish the transaction. The money will be in your account instantly, and you can start placing bets online.