India's relationship with cricket transcends mere sport—it represents a cultural phenomenon that unites the nation across diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, regions, and languages. This deep-rooted passion has naturally evolved into a thriving betting ecosystem, with online platforms increasingly replacing traditional illegal betting channels. As this transformation unfolds, major international brands are positioning themselves to capture a share of this lucrative market, despite significant legal and regulatory challenges.

The Cultural Phenomenon of Cricket in India

A National Obsession
Cricket in India is often described as a religion rather than just a sport. According to Ormax Media, India is home to 13.6 crore sports fans, with an overwhelming 91% (12.4 crores) identifying as cricket fans. This means that 9 out of 10 Indian sports enthusiasts primarily follow cricket, demonstrating its unparalleled dominance in the country's sporting landscape.

The passion for cricket permeates every aspect of Indian society. From offices to cafes, grocery stores to clinics, conversations about cricket create instant bonds between people who may otherwise have little in common. The sound of cricket commentary on television has become synonymous with domestic life in millions of Indian households—as familiar as the smell of home-cooked food or parents humming along to the radio.

Historical Roots and Cultural Integration

Cricket's journey in India began during the colonial era, introduced by British sailors and traders from the East India Company in the early 18th century. The first recorded cricket match in the region was played between British sailors in western India in 1721. Initially intended as a means to assert British cultural dominance, cricket was gradually embraced by Indian elites as a way to gain favor with colonial rulers.

What began as an elite pastime eventually transformed into a nationwide passion. Following India's independence, there were even protests calling for cricket to be banned as it was considered a colonial remnant. However, cricket evolved to become a catalyst for breaking deep-rooted social boundaries in Indian society. The sport united diverse groups regardless of caste, creed, religion, race, or socioeconomic background.

Cricket's Emotional Impact

The emotional connection Indians have with cricket creates unparalleled moments of collective joy and sorrow. When the Indian men's team lifted the T20 World Cup trophy in the West Indies, the euphoria experienced by fans was described as "unparalleled". Similarly, India's victory in the 1983 World Cup inspired a generation of iconic cricketers like Kapil Dev, Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, MS Dhoni, and Virat Kohli.

This emotional investment extends to domestic competitions as well. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru's trophyless run in the IPL is rendered more poignant by their die-hard fanbase, regularly celebrated by critics and players alike. The Mumbai Indians fans' reaction to team changes demonstrates how fan sentiment can influence narratives around the sport.

The Explosion of Online Sports Betting in India
Cricket Dominates the Betting Landscape
Cricket's overwhelming popularity has naturally made it the centerpiece of India's sports betting ecosystem. According to the International Cricket Council (ICC), 90% of the world's cricket fans are from the Indian subcontinent, creating an enormous potential market for betting operators.

Major cricket tournaments, particularly the Indian Premier League (IPL) and international events like the World Cup, generate billions of rupees in betting revenue. The IPL, with its combination of cricket, celebrity culture, and entertainment, has become a prime target for betting activities, with platforms specifically tailoring their promotions around the tournament.

The Digital Transformation of Betting
The sports betting landscape in India is experiencing a significant transition from traditional physical outlets to online platforms. This shift is primarily driven by widespread smartphone adoption and affordable internet access, particularly in semi-urban and rural areas.

According to the Press Information Bureau, as of April 2024, 95.15% of India's 644,131 villages have access to 3G or 4G connectivity. By March 2024, internet subscribers in India reached 954.40 million, up from 251.59 million in March 2014. This digital infrastructure has made online betting platforms more accessible, enabling users to place bets conveniently.

Online betting platforms offer several advantages over traditional betting channels:

Convenience and privacy

A wide range of betting options across multiple sports

Live updates and in-play betting

Seamless payment gateways

Enhanced accessibility through mobile apps

Secure digital payment methods

Multilingual interfaces catering to India's diverse population

Market Size and Growth Projections

The India sports betting market was valued at USD 6.91 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 16.83 billion by 2033, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.1% from 2025-2033. This growth is primarily driven by the increasing popularity of online sports betting due to growing accessibility of digital platforms and evolving consumer preferences.

The underground sports betting industry in India is estimated to be worth over $150 billion annually. If legalized, this income could potentially be channeled into public welfare and infrastructural development.

The Illegal Betting Problem and Shift to Online Platforms
Scale of Illegal Betting
Illegal betting and gambling activities in India have surged dramatically in recent years. According to a report by Digital India Foundation, digital platforms recorded a staggering 1.6 billion visits in just three months across four major websites. The majority of these visits were organic, exceeding 184 million—significantly higher than the 42.8 million visits generated through social media platforms.

Mirror websites also played a major role in the illegal market. Three Parimatch mirror sites alone accounted for an additional 266 million visits. The report found that 1.098 billion visits to illegal platforms originated from users directly entering website URLs, indicating the lasting impact of past marketing campaigns and referrals.

Security and Financial Concerns

Illegal online betting platforms pose significant security and financial risks:

They operate outside the ambit of Indian laws and often evade regulated financial ecosystems, facilitating money laundering through alternative channels.

These platforms lack data protection safeguards, exposing users to data theft, financial fraud, and identity breaches.

They draw in unsuspecting users through aggressive advertising, misleading claims, and social media campaigns that blur the lines between legitimate online gaming and illegal betting/gambling.

According to a report by Rashtriya Raksha University's The Security and Scientific Technical Research Association (SASTRA), illegal online betting and gambling websites act as channels for money laundering and terrorist financing.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance raised major concerns in 2023 over online betting sites facilitating money laundering and terror financing.

Enforcement Challenges
Despite repeated government actions, including website blocking and public advisories, illegal operators continue to thrive. They use advanced digital marketing tactics, seamless payment processing, and mirror websites to evade enforcement measures.

The report by Digital India Foundation pointed out that experience from jurisdictions including the UK, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, and the United States shows that blocking alone is ineffective. These countries have seen greater success by combining website blocking with marketing restrictions, payment blocking, and the use of whitelists and blocklists.

Major Brands Targeting the Indian Sports Betting Market

Leading International Operators
Several major international betting brands have identified India as a key growth market and are actively targeting Indian bettors. According to BetBlazers, a betting comparison site, the top betting sites in India for 2025 include:

1XBet - Features the largest sportsbook in India, with sports betting markets from across the world and a variety of regular promotions.

Stake.com - Positioned as the best crypto betting site for Indians, offering numerous promotions and bonuses with a great user interface on mobile platforms.

BC.Game - Offering a substantial deposit bonus package with competitive odds.

Other prominent brands include Rajabets, 4rabet, 10Cric, Megapari, Sportsbet.io, Batery Bet, Bettilt, Dafabet, 22bet, and Parimatch.

LiveScore, another betting information platform, specifically highlights Dafabet as "a simple but effective sportsbook" that offers "a solid range of betting markets across all of your favourite sports," and Parimatch as "a fantastic betting brand that enjoys success the world over" with "a clean design of the website that makes finding the bets you want to place a dream".

Marketing Strategies

These betting platforms employ sophisticated marketing strategies to attract Indian users:

Celebrity endorsements - Betting companies frequently feature Bollywood celebrities and sports personalities in their advertisements, blurring the line between what's legal and illicit.

Tournament-specific promotions - Many platforms offer special bonuses during major cricket tournaments, particularly the IPL. For example, Dafabet offered a bonus of 200% up to ₹20,000 with an exclusive promo code "IPL2025DAFA" for the IPL 2025 season.

Social media campaigns - A significant chunk of traffic to betting sites comes through social media, accounting for 42.8 million visits.

Aggressive advertising - Despite prohibitions, betting platforms advertise on billboards in prominent public places like metro stations and markets with taglines such as "Play & Win NOW!".

Mirror websites - To evade regulatory measures, betting companies operate multiple mirror sites. Just three Parimatch mirrors generated an additional 266 million visits.

Future Potential and Legal Framework Issues
Economic Potential
The sports betting industry holds significant economic potential for India:

Revenue generation - If legalized, the sports betting industry could generate substantial tax revenue. Estimates suggest that the government can earn Rs. 12,000-Rs. 20,000 crores as taxes.

Job creation - An expansive sports betting industry could create jobs in various sectors such as technology, customer service, compliance, and data analysis, potentially reducing unemployment and promoting economic stability.

Technological advancements - The digitalization of the sports betting industry could drive innovations in mobile technology, digital payments, and cybersecurity.

Foreign Direct Investment - A well-regulated sports betting market could attract significant foreign investments.

Current Legal Framework

The legal framework governing sports betting in India is complex and outdated:

The Public Gambling Act of 1867 - This colonial-era law prohibits operating or visiting gambling houses but does not explicitly address online betting or sports-specific wagers.

State authority - The Constitution of India (Seventh Schedule, State List, Entry 34) gives states the right to create their own gambling laws. While most states prohibit gambling, Goa and Sikkim have legalized certain forms of betting and gambling.

Online betting gray area - Online sports betting exists in a legal gray area. While it is not explicitly banned at the national level, it is not entirely legal either.

Skill vs. chance distinction - Games predominantly influenced by skill are often deemed legal, while those based solely on chance face stricter regulations. This has led to debates about whether sports betting constitutes a game of skill or chance.

IT Rules 2021 - These rules differentiate between permissible online real money gaming and illegal betting and gambling practices. However, there is still a need for a registration mechanism to whitelist legitimate platforms.

Reform Recommendations

Several committees and organizations have recommended reforms to the legal framework:

The Law Commission of India has recommended legalizing betting on sports, citing potential benefits such as revenue generation, curbing black-market activities, and preventing match-fixing.

The Mudgal Committee and the Lodha Committee have firmly supported legalizing sports betting.

The Sports (Online Gaming and Prevention of Fraud) Bill, 2018 aimed to establish a regulatory agency tasked with overseeing and regulating online sports betting businesses.

Digital India Foundation has recommended shifting from the current "fragmented" enforcement plans to an "ecosystem-based" approach that tackles not just the websites but the key enablers of illegal betting activity.

Challenges to Reform

Despite these recommendations, several challenges hinder reform efforts:

Cultural and moral concerns - There are significant cultural and moral reservations about gambling in Indian society.

Political will - There appears to be limited political will to enact comprehensive reforms.

Federal structure - India's federal structure complicates the implementation of uniform regulations across states.

Enforcement capabilities - Even with new laws, enforcement capabilities may be limited.

Tax structure - In October 2023, India implemented a flat 28% turnover tax for online gambling, casino, and horse race betting, making the market commercially unviable for some operators. This led to Super Group (operator of Betway) withdrawing from the Indian market.

Bottomline

Cricket's unparalleled popularity in India has created fertile ground for a booming sports betting industry. The digital transformation of betting, driven by widespread smartphone adoption and internet access, is gradually shifting activities from illegal channels to online platforms. Major international betting brands are actively targeting this market despite the complex and often ambiguous legal framework.

The future potential of sports betting in India is substantial, with projections suggesting significant growth in the coming years. However, realizing this potential will require comprehensive legal reforms that balance economic opportunities with consumer protection and responsible gambling practices. As India navigates this evolving landscape, finding the right regulatory approach will be crucial to harnessing the benefits while mitigating the risks associated with sports betting.