Why More Indians Than Ever Are Using Online Betting Sites

For more than 150 years, betting has been a topic of much contention and debate in India.

Since a blanket ban on betting was introduced by the British through the Public Gambling Act of 1867, gambling and betting shops have been prohibited.

However, through the years, various loopholes to this law have existed. For example, horse racing is classified as a “game of skill” in most Indian states, making it legal to bet on horse races.

Furthermore, a few states such as Goa and Sikkim have legalised casinos, making it legal to visit a physical brick and mortar casino in those states.

The latest loophole are the so-called online betting sites which enable Indians to go online and place bets using foreign-operated betting platforms.

Online betting sites are legal in India because the betting sites are located on servers outside the country, thus making it possible for Indians to use them without breaking the Public Gambling Act of 1867.

But why is it that these online betting sites are growing so incredibly popular in India? That is what we will set out to discover in this article.

Increase in internet connectivity

One of the most essential things that you need in order to use an online betting site is access to the internet – and the access to internet in India is growing substantially every single year.

At the time of this writing in January 2022, there are more than 920 million internet users in India. In comparison, there were 422 million internet users in India in 2017 – just 5 years ago!

So in 5 years, the number of internet users more than doubled in India.

This means that more and more “regular people” are getting access to the internet. It’s no longer a luxury that’s reserved for the wealthy or the educated.

And many of these regular people are looking for ways to entertain themselves online – and using online betting sites appears to be one avenue that Indians are looking to for entertainment!

Increase in smartphone usage

An internet connection isn’t the only thing you need to access an online betting site. You also need a device, and the favored device in India is the smartphone.

Smartphones used to be reserved for the wealthy, but these days there are budget smartphones available from as little as ₹ 5,000.

Fun Fact: more than 80% of online betting activity in India takes place on smartphones. Only a smaller fraction of online betting takes place on desktop or laptop computers.

In India there are more than 600 million smartphones in circulation and these phones enable Indians to access their online betting accounts no matter where they are, and no matter what time of day it is.

Therefore, the increased availability of smartphones is making it easier for Indians to access online betting sites.

Increase in disposable income

Indians are getting wealthier year after year. Our economy is growing and the median household income has been on a sharp upward climb since the 1960’s.

When people have their basic needs met, and when they experience an increase in financial stability, they start looking around for new ways to spend their money.

One of the activities that have emerged as a popular pastime for financially stable Indians is betting.

In India, we love our sports, and there’s nothing better than to place a few bets on the national cricket or kabaddi games. It’s fun, it’s existing, and it comes with the added potential of winning even more money.

This is why Indians who have a bit of extra money in the pocket often turn to using online betting sites.