Best Betting Sites in India

With over 450 million players, India is among the leading countries in gambling in South Asia. Betting sites in India attract over 110 million locals daily, since the country’s ambiguous regulation doesn’t provide any solid licensed alternatives.

On top of that, MGA and Curacao bookmakers are legally accessible from the country and provide bettors from India top-notch localization with Hindi interfaces, unique offers and Free Bets in cricket events and fast anonymous withdrawals.

This guide will examine the legal and tax aspects for bettors, as well as available payments, apps and how to get started. If you want to dive right in, here is our pick of the three most trusted brands.

The Indian local betting sites are too few to mention, and their sports offerings do not come close to their offshore counterparts. This means that brands with top-rated sportsbooks, local payments, language, and currency will almost always operate in an unregulated market. Let’s check out the full list of sites before moving to our in-depth analysis.

Which Are The Best Betting Sites in India?

What We Look For When Betting in India?

An endless number of bookies accept Indians, leaving bettors with an overwhelming choice and too little information about each brand. Our approach is different, as we strive to thin out the unreliable betting sites to help you narrow your search. Here are the main points at which we stop and evaluate each operator:

Competitive Bonuses in Rupees

When all the top brands are accessible in your country, you might as well start hunting for the biggest bonus with an achievable rollover. Regardless of all other aspects, bonuses and their requirements can set bookies apart from their competition. Our sorting and filtering tools can help you look for them accordingly.

High Payouts

Football and basketball are the most popular sports for bettors worldwide, and many bookies have top-notch offerings. In India, cricket is the absolute favorite, so our reviews will highlight the brands with special bets at high odds. These bookmakers will usually include niche markets in other sports as well.

Live Coverage

Broadcasting rights pose real issues for betting sites, especially when licensed locally. This is not a concern for major brands emphasizing in-play options and features. Live has its own section in the individual reviews, so check it out if you’re looking for exciting action in an all-in-one betting platform.

Solid Tools

The finest betting destinations must pay a great deal for their sports betting features. The availability of Bet Builder, Cash Out, and options of the Bet Slip goes a long way in enhancing your experience. Some bookies offer a handful of these tools or variations of them.

APK with High Functionality

The best betting apps in India are also exclusive to multi-national gambling sites. When available, you can tell them apart by how fast and useful they are for betting on the go. Applications developed by brands like 1xbet and 20bet deserve separate articles, so make sure to read them, too.

Fair and Transparent Terms

Not only do we read the T&C before giving out a verdict on a bookie, but we also put these rules to the test. We check the withdrawal limits, times, and wagering requirements to ensure there are no red flags, written or applied.

What You Need To Know About Online Betting in India

The gambling law in India is widely left to the interpretation of regional jurisdictions. The Public Gaming Act of 1867 forbids betting in physical shops, although some land-based betting houses still exist. Online betting in India is not referred to by law, and there is no domain blocking on websites offering their services locally.

News pundits have reported that the government is interested in banking on tax money from online gambling revenue, but no laws have been drafted. It is unlikely that a crackdown on offshore websites will happen any time soon.

Is Betting Legal in India?

Indian bettors have to deal with a complex and sometimes chaotic regulatory approach. Regions have different laws, and there is no real enforcement of the existing regulations on online gambling.

The government imposes levies and taxes on player and operator winnings. It also gives out licenses, which is controversial since the country has forbidden gambling. You should ponder the legality before bypassing these hurdles, even if there haven’t been any recorded instances of player prosecution.

What is the Gambling Tax in India?

Since the country's only form of regulated gambling focuses on land-based operations, taxation applies exclusively to them. The national lottery, horse racing tracks, and casinos in India collect hefty taxes, and the bettor pays a big part.

For example, horse race winnings above ₹10,000 are subject to 30% tax, plus 28% on every stake. The betting sites that offer sports are either licensed offshore or unlicensed, and they do not need to comply. You get to keep all the winnings you make.

What To Avoid On India’s Betting Sites

The main issue when playing on Indian bookmakers is the presence of many scammers targeting locals. You should watch out for dubious brands and phishing sites. Consider payment methods in advance, as the government has restricted financial services from dealing with gambling operators.

In land-based gambling like horse racing, stringent fees and taxes are applied to player winnings and racetrack revenue. Finally, players could be concerned about available brands undergoing domain blocking. As of yet, no bookies have been blacklisted by authorities.

What’s Unique About Online Betting in India?

Setting aside the fact that the locally licensed sites focus on casino games and poker while ignoring sports, there are other incentives for Indians to join the multi-national betting sites. The main reasons could be the lack of repercussions and the possibility of flying under the radar.

These sites rate much better even in the most regulated markets, where user experience is at the heart of the gambling rules. More importantly, operators like Megapari, 1xbet, and 20bet offer some of the best betting apps in India and the world.

What Are The Trends of Sports Betting in India?

Cricket has no rivals among the millions of Indian bettors. As a matter of fact, it is the most popular sport in all neighboring countries. Football, Kabbadi, and Badminton get a tract from the subcontinent, which is worth mentioning due to the sheer volume of the betting market.

Online Cricket Betting in India

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the most viewed competitions in the world. With very few legal destinations for wagering on the sport, international cricket betting sites take the majority of Indian stakes. Players can find hundreds of markets with payouts above 95% on 1xbet.

Locals also like to follow matches from other competitions and bet on them. The CPL and the national team’s games against Pakistan bring hundreds of millions of followers. You can opt for bookies with Live Streaming to watch the matches while you punt on Innings, Ducks, and Any Player to Score 100.

Football Betting in India

Although the national team has not succeeded in claiming competitions, betting on the English Premier League and European competitions is very popular. Players who register for online accounts cannot miss the huge offering on soccer, and it presents many opportunities to grab extra winnings.

You can find detailed markets, including Asian Handicaps and Player Specials for top leagues. On the regional level, an endless number of matches are played daily, and foreigners sometimes bet on local events due to their extensive live coverage.

Kabaddi Betting in India

The sport has had its local league for approximately a decade, so online betting on kabaddi is relatively new. Indians will not find a shortage of websites offering lines on it, although it is less common than cricket or football.

However, the discipline dates back centuries and is heavily entwined with Indian culture. Regarding viewership, it slightly trails the IPL, with over 400,000,000 followers.

Other Sports

Field hockey originated in the country, and the regional match-ups can get very competitive. It is another sport that packs stadiums and drives fans to bookies, but its availability depends highly on the brands.

Finally, badminton is popular all over Asia, and Indian bettors constitute a large chunk of its gambling market. Bookmakers that target the region often provide a loaded list of events, but the markets and lines can be restricted to one bet on the winner.

How to Bet Online in India?

If you want to play it by ear, you can skip the information about payments and taxation coming after, as it applies mostly to land-based operators. To start placing stakes online in a few minutes, follow the steps below:

• 1
  Pick One of our top betting sites in India: Whether you are looking for high promotions, functional apps, or top-notch sports wagering, we have you covered. Select the best fit to your preference from the list, follow its link, and start registering.
• 2
  Open an account: Operators will present you with a form in which you must fill in your personal information. Enter the correct details; you must upload proof of identity and residence when you request a withdrawal, and the information must match.
• 3
  Select the bonus: Most welcome offers are selected during registration. You must activate it from the promotions page if you don't see it upon sign-up. Read the full terms and conditions before claiming any promo. If you are unsure about something, contact support before you start wagering.
• 4
  Fund your balance: If you have many payment methods, check with the cashier to see which ones the bookie accepts. All that’s left is depositing. Pay attention to the limits of each method. Also, remember that most operators require you to withdraw using the same processor you used for top-up.
• 5
  Start wagering: With one of the most competitive offerings on the planet, Indians who follow these steps can now start enjoying betting on their favorite matches. We recommend reading our betting guides and taking pointers from our tips and predictions.

What Payment Methods Are Used On Betting Sites In India?

The country has risen to become an international financial hub in recent years. Meanwhile, financial providers dealing with bank wires and card payments are forbidden from accepting transfers to betting sites. We will review the most adopted payment processors and determine which cannot be used in online betting.

Offshore gambling sites usually focus on providing e-wallets like Skrill and Neteller and crypto to cater to a global audience. The size of the Indian market imposes new payment methods on bookies that want to capitalize on the local market. Here are the top payment methods for gambling in India, with some pointers to where you will find them:

⏩ Visa and Mastercard are the most used payment methods globally. They are fast, secure, and usually free of charge. However, the government has banned financial institutions from transferring money to foreign gambling sites. You can only use these processors in land-based casinos and locally licensed bet houses.

⏩ UPI is a payment system widely adopted in India that combines many services. UPI betting sites in India offer access to bank accounts and peer-to-peer transfers, bridging the best of both worlds. Transactions are private, and you can bet on 22bet, 1xbet, and 20bet using this method.

⏩ PhonePe is another payment gateway used by players and betting sites. However, you will find it less than UPI. Betting with PhonePe in India is not as common as using it for investments and insurance payments.

⏩ Astropay is a global e-wallet that includes financial services and user benefits. It has seen a growing adoption in 2024. Like players worldwide, Indians resort to it for gambling on specific websites that accept it.

Can You Use Crypto to Bet in India?

Tokens and digital currencies like Bitcoin and Tether constitute one of the largest user bases globally. They usually require knowledge to manage your funds safely, and you must consider network fees. However, they provide the opportunity to bet anonymously.

Many Indians own cryptocurrencies and trade them. It has also become a popular channel for local bettors, and there are different options to choose from. Remember that crypto bookmakers offer less guarantees to users, so tread carefully

How Does the Future Look For Betting in India?

The news might be tapping into gambling news more often lately, but there still is no major change coming to the local gambling scene any time soon. Meanwhile, the status quo is favorable to Indians, who should not be concerned about repercussions when opting for international bookies.

If India is going to take steps towards making a safer space for its bettors and benefitting from it, we should first expect it to block domains of scammer sites. This would be a welcome effort by locals falling to malicious schemes. So, do your due diligence and stay updated on the latest developments to protect your hard-earned money.

Gambling in Neighboring Countries

⏩ Bangladesh is the westernmost neighbor to India, with a rampant gambling market. It shares the same old law from the British rule, which tackles public gaming and doesn’t refer to online activity. Betting sites in Bangladesh share a lot with their Indian counterparts.

⏩ Pakistan also shares the Gambling Law of 1867 with its neighbors, as they were unified under the same government. It is one of the most controversial countries in this regard, as stricter laws are enforced. Yet, the number of users is second only to India in the region, and the Pakistan betting sites are still operating in an unregulated environment.

⏩ Nepal is the gambling hub among the giant markets that surround it. It has set an example of legalizing the industry for India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Still, locals are forbidden from visiting physical gambling houses, and they resort to Nepalese betting sites, offering them one of the best selections of brands on the planet.