Why is online gambling so popular in India?

Gambling has been part and parcel of day-to-day life for many people all over the world for years. The ability to wager on a sports team, a specific horse or the cards has made it an enjoyable and exciting way to spend disposable income.

The prominence of online gambling in Europe is no surprise. Sport is a huge part of the standard day of most people, with betting profiting from this by going hand-in-hand with the biggest and smallest sports in the world.

However, there will likely be some that are surprised when India is mentioned as a country that enjoys gambling. Their surprise is interesting considering the fact that card games have always been a big part of Indian history, while the prominence of sportsbooks and casino games is on the rise.

Playing blackjack and poker in person may still be the preference for many, and betting sites have seen the prominence of providing these games online. To make things even better, sites have also added traditional and local card games like Andar Bahar and Teen Patti online.

The continued growth of gambling in India is largely down to the laws. At a national level, laws are quite strict, but there is no mention of online gambling. This means locals can easily and legally place bets on offshore casinos.

The Public Gambling Act came into being in 1867, a long time before the internet. This means that there was no need to even mention online gambling as it was not a thing. While there is the Information Technology Act of 2000, online gambling is still not regulated, with no mention of it in this Act either.

The thinking is that as long as the online casino is not based or operating within the country, they are free to offer services in India. Some states have merely set in place rules like requiring transactions in local currency or banning online gaming like in Karnataka and Telangana.

Incredibly, despite it being banned in these states, they were still the most popular online gambling stats. A report released last year that stated Telangana has the most people who bet online with 19.7%, while Karnataka was second with 13.2%.

The hope is that instead of banning online gambling, it will simply be regulated instead, as this is clearly not completely stopping people from betting. Countries like the UK have regulated online gambling, with it proving to be a huge source of revenue. The United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) regulates gambling in the country and seeks to ensure gamers are protected when they play.

With the improving internet infrastructure in India, online gambling is on the rise. This, coupled with the rising number of mobile phone users has seen online gaming on the up. This has seen the most popular casino and betting companies switch to ones that have apps people can download, with mobile specific bonuses too.

With the continued rise in online gamblers, surely it is only a matter of time before the whole scene is regulated to provide more protection for their players.

Disclaimer : The above is a sponsored article and the views expressed are those of the sponsor/author and do not represent the stand and views of The Tribune editorial in any manner.