It’s a pretty well-known fact that online gambling is huge in India, despite what the laws might state about this. With very few land-based casinos and vague gambling laws, Indians can easily access foreign online casinos and bet on their favourite sports or play popular casino games online.
India is one of the biggest markets in the world when it comes to the online gambling industry, but outdated laws have made it problematic for the market to really take off, especially when it comes to local-owned casinos.
Laws and online casino sites available in India
Currently, there are hundreds of online casino sites that accept players from India and are licensed to do so by foreign regulatory bodies, making it legal to accept Indian players. Any of the best online casinos in India Indians also accept deposits and withdrawals in INR (Indian Rupees) as well as special bonuses targeted towards Indian players. The most important factor that players should look out for is that the casino is licensed by any of the major gambling authorities; never gamble in an unlicensed casino because you’ll definitely be risking your money.
As mentioned earlier, Indian nationals located within the country are prohibited from establishing their own online casinos, which is why there is currently no Indian gambling licence that can be obtained. The only way that online casinos in India can bypass these laws is by being registered in a foreign country because the laws don’t state that foreign casinos can’t market their services in India via the internet, hence the large number of gamblers in India playing in foreign casinos.
Hindi Online Casinos – Dedicated Online Casinos for Indian Players
While most online casinos that Indian players can find accept INR as a currency and players based in India, there are almost no Hindi speaking casinos. In fact, most casino sites in India have an English version of their website only, which might make them less accessible for non-English speakers in India. Having said that, around 10% of the Indian population, equating to roughly 125 million people, are also English speakers.
Some online casinos have made steps to reach their target audience better by having Hindi speaking customer support agents and even dedicated casino games that are tailor-made for Indian players. The leading provider in live casino games, Evolution Gaming, also offers dedicated live casino games with Bollywood-style table games, Andar Bahar tables, and other live games with Hindi-speaking live dealers and hosts.
Top Online Casinos in India
Despite there being a lack of Hindi-speaking online casinos or no home-grown Indian casinos, Indian gamblers still have plenty of choices when it comes to online casinos. Below are the most important features that players should always look out for when looking for a top Indian online casino:
- Top game software developers such as Microgaming, Evolution Gaming, and NetEnt
- An appropriate licence issued by a foreign regulatory body
- Accepts both deposits and withdrawals in Indian rupees
- Reliable customer service, ideally available 24/7
- Have the most popular games for Indian players such as Andar Bahar
Indian Online Casinos Could be a Massive Market for Other Countries
The online casino market is a thriving industry all over the globe, and India is no exception. However, since it’s yet an unregulated market with gambling laws that haven’t been updated for over 150 years – before online casinos even existed! – there is a massive amount of untapped potential in India.
With vague laws and regulations in India, land-based casinos are only officially allowed in three states. What the law doesn’t prohibit is Indian gamblers playing in foreign online casinos that are located outside of India. In fact, the majority of top online casinos around the globe are expanding their markets to reach Indian players and many online casinos already accept players from India. The problem with this when it comes to India’s economy, the revenue generated from Indian players registered at foreign casinos is generated for the country where the casino is based, not India.
It’s estimated that there are approximately 560 million internet users in India, making India the second-largest online industry after China which has around 939 million Internet users in the country. The revenue that could be generated from online casinos registered in India with the number of internet users in the country is estimated at $930 million annually, which is only expected to keep growing every year.
Opening the Gambling Market to Indian Operators Could Generate Millions for the Economy
If India revised and updated its online gambling laws, Indian operators could open their own online casinos for Indians and international players as well, in a regulated way that could significantly boost the country’s economy with millions generated in revenue. Online gaming in India is already steadily growing, with sports betting dominating the market in India and overseas brands opening up their markets to India.
Creating a regulated gambling industry in India would not only benefit future operators and the country’s economy. It would also benefit Indian gamblers by having a licensed, regulated market where they can play their favourite casino games in an environment that’s safe from possible fraud or unfair practices. The way the market in India is right now can be considered very much as a grey area, making it impossible and even illegal for Indian operators to establish their own online casinos based in India.
The Future of Online Gaming in India
With such a huge potential customer base that can be taken advantage of in India, the next step forward needs to be an extensive update to the current laws concerning gambling. These laws need to address the exact distinction between games of skill and chances, as well as clear guidelines for both operators and players to ensure responsible practices. With an appropriate regulatory framework and clear legislation, locals can be awarded an Indian casino licence to establish their own online casino businesses that would be beneficial for Indian players, India’s economy, and even foreign businesses who partner with Indian-own casino businesses.