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Is IPL betting legal in India?

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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 2024


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.

📜Legality of IPL and Cricket Betting Explained


During British rule, the Public Gambling Act of 1867 was enacted in India, prohibiting gambling for the ever time. According to the law, nobody could legally offer gambling services in the country. Nor could anybody go to a public gambling house or use it.

✅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.

Is IPL Betting Legal in India

✅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 2024 and earn real money!


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

Exclusive Offer
1
Parimatch
150% up to ₹30,000 + ₹250 free bet
  • Minimum deposit amount is ₹200
  • Minimum deposit for free bet offer is ₹500
  • Website available in multiple Indian languages
    18+. Minimum deposit for ₹200 for the maximum bonus amount: ₹30.000. Minimum deposit for FREE BET 500 INR. To withdraw the bonus funds, you must place the bonus in 16 times amount on single bets with odds of no less than 1.7 within 14 days from the date of registration. T&Cs Apply.
    2
    Indibet
    400% bonus up to ₹75,000
    • Minimum Deposit is ₹100
    • Great Sports Bonuses
    • Android & iOS app
      18+. Min. deposit is ₹100 and max bonus is ₹25,000. 200% Bonus up to ₹12,500 on Sports, 200% Bonus up to ₹12,500 on Casino. Roll Over of Casino is 25X, Sports will have 20X Roll over. Maximum bonus ₹12,500. T&Cs Apply.
      Exclusive Offer
      3
      1xbet
      120% up to ₹49,000
      • Minimum deposit amount of ₹75
      • Over 60,000 betting events a month
      • Great focus on security and safety of user information
        18+. A customer is entitled to only one bonus. The minimum deposit is 200 INR. The bonus amount must be wagered 5 times in accumulator bets. At least 3 selections within the accumulator bet must have odds of 1.40 or higher. The bonus must be used within 30 days of registration. T&Cs Apply.
        Exclusive Offer
        4
        10cric
        200% up to ₹10,000 + ₹700 plus free bet with min. deposit ₹250
        • Great IPL Offers
        • Numerous betting options for cricket
        • No lower limits for betting
          18+. Minimum deposit 250INR. T&Cs Apply.
          5
          Mostbet
          150% up to ₹34,000
          • Minimum deposit is ₹100
          • India-friendly website available in Hindi
          • Fast UPI based payments
            18+. Minimum deposit is ₹300. It is necessary to wager the received bonus 5 times from the bonus account with accumulator bets with least 3 events and odds of each event of at least 1.40. T&Cs apply.
            6
            Betwinner
            100% BONUS ON THE FIRST DEPOSIT UP TO 10,400 INR
            • Minimum deposit is ₹80
            • Offers a betting exchange
            • Exciting welcome bonus with long validity
              18+. Register with BETWINNER and get a 100% bonus to the maximum of 10,400.00 INR on the 1st deposit! The minimum deposit is INR80.00. At least 3 events must have odds of 1.40 or higher. The bonus must be used within 30 days. T&Cs Apply
              7
              22bet
              100% up to 11,000 INR + 25% daily deposit bonus with Jeton Wallet
              • Minimum deposit amount is ₹80
              • 1000-plus daily sports betting events
              • Site available in Hindi language
                18+. Min deposit: 80INR. The bonus is equal to 25% of the deposit amount, but will not exceed 3500 INR. The minimum deposit required to activate the jeton bonus is 750 INR The bonus amount must be wagered 5 times in accumulator bets. Each accumulator bet must contain 3 events or more. At least 3 events within the accumulator must have odds of 1.40 or higher. T&Cs Apply.
                8
                PariPesa
                100% bonus on the first deposit up to ₹12000
                • Minimum Deposit 80 INR
                • Great in-play Option
                • Android & iOS app available
                  18+. The minimum deposit is ₹100 . Wager 5 times the bonus amount in accumulator bets. Each accumulator bet must contain 3 or more events. At least 3 of the events included in an accumulator must have odds of 1.40 or higher. T&Cs Apply.
                  9
                  Rajabets
                  150% Welcome Sports Bonus up to ₹100,000
                  • Minimum deposit is ₹100
                  • Quick registration options available
                  • Multi-lingual website, including Hindi and Telugu
                    Minimum deposit: ₹200. Wagering requirement 20 times minimum 1 sports bets with odds of at least 1.90. Wagering requirements must be completed within 30 days. T&Cs Apply.
                    10
                    Rabona
                    First deposit bonus 8,000 INR
                    • Minimum deposit is ₹500
                    • Simple registration process
                    • Great live betting platform
                      This offer is only available to new customers, who have registered and made their first real-money deposit at Rabona. The Bonus is 100% of a player’s first deposit up to 8,000 INR. The minimum qualifying deposit amount for this promotion is 500 INR. In order to qualify for the bonus, the player must play through the full amount of the first deposit at least once with odds no less than 1,50. Deposits via Skrill or Neteller shall not be considered qualifying deposits for this promotion. The maximum amount that counts towards rollover requirements of each bet is 4,000 INR. T&Cs apply.

                      🤔Is betway banned in India?

                      First I will answer to your doubt is betway legal in India? Yes Betway is legal and not banned in India. The reason is it is licensed offshore and accepts Indian payments including UPI, which is Government recognized.

                      👉Some players are also doubtful if Parimatch is legal in India ? The answer is yes it is legal and safe to bet during IPL.


                      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.


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


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


                      Yes it is legal, last year Karnataka High court void the argument of Karnataka Police Act for Banning Gambling for profit and clarified the online betting is legal as long as rules and regulations for games of skill are fulfilled.

                      Why online betting should be regulated


                      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.


                      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


                      Yes, online betting is legal in India. There are no national laws that specifies that online betting is illegal.

                      All betting sites that are licensed outside India and accepts Indian currency are safe to bet online. The most popular sites are 1xbet, bet365, Betway and Parimatch

                      The best and secured betting apps are 1xbet, 10cric, bet365 and Parimatch