Is IPL betting legal in India?

Indians are big cricket fans, so they excessively indulge in IPL betting. But still, many have this question: Is IPL betting legal in India? To answer this question, you must know that India does not have any federal laws that oppose online betting. In other words, IPL betting (which is a form of online betting) is legal in India, except in a few states. We will keep you updated as and when we get more information.

🏏Legal situation on IPL betting in India 2023

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Cricket is equated with religion in India. A cricket tournament such as the IPL is equal to a religious festival. Over a billion cricket fans in India follow the competition every year. So, let us now give you a little more detail on ‘Is betting legal in India’ or, more specifically, ‘Is cricket betting legal in India’? Yes, betting in IPL legal, or, in general, betting is legal in India when done online. There is no explicit law defined for sports betting India, and it is more of a grey market, but you should know that online betting is legal in India. However, be aware about fake or illegal sites when betting on IPL. You should consider the below points to identify an IPL legal betting site. 

✅Location of the IPL Betting Site

An IPL betting site that is not India-based will not have to comply with Indian laws.

✅Accepts Indian Currency

If the IPL betting site accepts deposits in Indian rupees, then it will be possible for the Indian government to track the flow of funds. Look for India-friendly deposit options, such as UPI based apps, Neteller, Skrill, bank cards, Netbanking, and AstroPay cards. There are many operators that accepts Indian rupees eg 1xbet is legal in India and accepts Indian players.

✅Regulatory body

India does not have any official regulatory bodies, but many of these foreign online betting sites are regulated in their own jurisdictions by such reputable global bodies as the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, Malta Gaming Authority, and Gaming Curacao.

On most betting sites, you can usually see the name of the regulatory body mentioned at the bottom of the home page. Please ensure the authenticity of the site authenticity before you decide to sign up. Thus, you can ensure that you are on an IPL legal betting site.

✅Check data security measures

You should check the firewalls and SSL encryptions used by the betting site to ensure your data is safe from scams or cyber-attacks.

✅Taxes per the state you are betting from

You should check the tax norms in your state. You should if the betting site pays taxes to the government.

✅State gambling laws

Always check if the betting site adheres to the state gambling laws. 

👉Many people are not aware of the legality of gambling in India. It discourages a few people from betting altogether, while others outrightly assume that cricket betting is legal, whether done offline or online.

Some Indians bet offline on IPL through local bookies in India. While others bet online on sports betting sites. The Public Gambling Act of 1867 prohibits gambling in a public gambling house, which means that offline betting is considered illegal. Any person indulging in betting at a physical establishment can face legal action. With that law’s definition, betting through an IPL betting site is not illegal.

If you, too, like many Indian bettors, wish to bet legally on the IPL cricket series, why bet through a local bookie when you can conveniently bet on your favorite IPL matches online? Try our recommended betting sites with the best IPL betting offers.

✅The Coming of the Internet

As the Indian law pertaining to gambling was passed much before the coming of the internet, it does not have any reference in it to online gambling. People were curious as to whether online betting was permitted simply because Indian federal law did not expressly prohibit it. The legal interpretation agrees with this view. For an activity to be deemed illegal, it must be expressly forbidden by the law. In the absence of such law, the Indian government could have amended the existing law to include internet gambling. But the government did not do any such thing. So this concludes that any individual above 18+ is legally permitted to online betting.

✅States given Freedom to Formulate Own Gambling Laws

The Indian constitution that became effective in 1950 allowed Indian states to make their own laws relating to gambling. Some states used this constitutional provision to pass their own laws on online betting, while most did not. Thus, while some states have stringent laws prohibiting online gambling, others don’t. For instance, Maharashtra and Karnataka allow people to bet online on games of skill tough not on games of luck. In Sikkim, there is an effort to license and regulate online gambling. Some states such as Tamil Nadu neither permit nor forbid internet gambling. Barring Maharashtra, no other state makes online gambling a punishable offence.

✅Is Cricket Games of Skill or Games of Luck ?

How do we differentiate between games of skill and games of luck? In a game of skill, greater knowledge of the game can improve a player’s chances of winning. Applying this logic, online gambling must be treated as a game of skill.  For instance, take a game of cricket. Knowledge of many factors, such as weather conditions and players’ form can help a punter make an informed decision. By contrast, success in a game of roulette will always depend on a player’s luck. Unsurprisingly, therefore, many states categorise online betting on cricket as a game of skill. 

I believe I am able to answer your question Is online betting on the IPL legal or illegal is satisfactory. You can safely bet during IPL 2023 and earn real money!

👑Which online IPL betting sites are legal in India ?

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We look at various online IPL legal betting sites legal in India. Take a look at the following table in which we list the popular IPL Betting Sites

❓Online Betting is Legal or Illegal in India ?

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Before we consider whether online betting is legal in India, we must ask – is betting legal in India? The Public Gambling Act of 1867 makes gambling in a common gaming house a punishable offence in India. The states have been allowed to either adopt this act or make amendments to it. Some states have decided to allow skill-based games thus making IPL betting legal.

By contrast, others have chosen to treat all gambling as illegal. In the absence of regulation of gambling in India online gambling in India many online betting sites operate freely. This makes it convenient for people who want to bet on the IPL.

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“To this day, no private citizen in India has ever been charged for online betting.“

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Hence, our expert panel claims online betting in India is legal except in some states.

Why online betting should be regulated

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The recent news on regulating gambling industry will help render cricket betting legal in India. There are many advantages of a regulated betting market in India. In this section, we look at these benefits:

• Protecting minors from the dangers of underage gambling

Owing to the anonymous nature of the internet, minors may be able to gamble if internet operators are not able to verify the age of users effectively. If betting is regulated, it will be possible to prevent individuals below 18 years from playing. The government can mandate that only individuals whose identity and date of birth have been verified are allowed to play. Regulated betting sites can ask for various proofs of identification before they allow users to place bets.

• Preventing fraud

Consider the possibility of fraud in the absence of regulation. After a betting site receives a deposit from a player, the sportsbook operator may abscond with the money. Alternately, the site may refuse to pay a player the winnings. Some fly-by-night operators may close down their online businesses and disappear. Thus, players may find it difficult or even impossible to get back their money.

Further, gamblers cannot be sure that online betting sites will operate their games fairly. Thus, in the absence of regulation, frauds by online betting sites may become commonplace. Therefore, by regulating online betting, the government can reduce the potential for fraud.

• Preventing gambling addiction

If online betting sites are continuously available on an individual’s home computer, a person could become addicted to gambling. This is a legitimate fear given the addictive nature of online gambling games. Additionally, problems of addiction may be worsened owing to the detached nature of internet gambling. In such a system, some people may be led to gamble beyond their means.

Considering the addictive nature of online gambling and the 24×7 availability of online betting sites, this is a valid concern. Regulation can help create some checks to prevent gambling addiction.

• Protecting personal information

Without licensing or regulation, there is no protection of an individual’s personal information. Once a betting site is regulated, the government can ensure that the site uses state of the art encryption technology to protect the data of users.

🎯IPL betting is legal in India: Final Verdict

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To summarise, we come back to the question, is IPL betting legal in India? As we have explained, there is no law in India that deems online betting on the IPL illegal. Online betting on the IPL has grown rapidly in the last couple of years across the country. Most online betting sites offer betting apps that people can download on smartphones. So as per the opinion of our expert pannel, we can betting in IPL legal if done online.

Also, most betting sites include payment options such as UPI and e-wallet such as Paytm making it easy for people to bet online. IPL betting is here to stay. It is in the interest of the government of India to allow and regulate online betting. That will enable the government to increase its revenue via taxes, while protecting the interests of people who bet online.

IPL betting FAQs

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