Live betting and live online casinos in India

India has a long tradition of gambling and betting, and those activities are considered to be the favourite pastimes among all social classes

India has a long tradition of gambling and betting, and those activities are considered to be the favourite pastimes among all social classes. Still, it seems that Indian authorities and regulatory bodies have a hard time following trends in the gambling industry. While horse racing betting and lottery are widely available across the country, the faith of other gambling categories such as sportsbooks, top 10 legal online gambling sites, and traditional casino venues are left in the hands of local authorities.

At the moment, only three states allow brick and mortar casinos - Goa, Sikkim, and Daman, while other states are overrunning with illegal gambling businesses. Police raids in illegal gambling and betting establishments are common, and both those running and visiting the business are fined with a fine or imprisonment. Even though the police forces turn a blind eye during festivities such as Holi, illegal gambling is often tightly connected to organized crime, money laundering and financing of terrorism so no wonder many decent Indians are simply scared to even try it.

But what about live casinos and live betting? Are they more approachable, and can the popularity of online gambling sites be compared to that of traditional betting and gambling?

Live Betting on the Rise in India

As we already mentioned, the only legal form of sports betting in physical betting venues is horse racing. Horse racing sure can be fun and exciting, but considering it has a monopoly on the betting tickets, it leaves not only punters but also sports organizations dissatisfied. In 2011, International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Haroon Lorgat, expressed his hopes that the government will legalize betting on cricket, not only to protect betting customers but the integrity of the sport as well. Indian cricket, unfortunately, has a notorious reputation for being corrupted and fixing matches. His pleads remained unanswered.

Luckily, online betting sites, of which many include live betting as well, have managed to provide more than enough betting opportunities to those interested. Online betting in India is not illegal, but there is also no law regarding online sports betting and many offshore companies with headquarters in Europe, used this opportunity to market their offers to Indian punters. In a country where the illegal betting market is worth $150 billion, millions of people found a safe betting haven in online sportsbooks.

Online sportsbooks offer betting on most popular sports in India, including cricket, football, badminton, and hockey. Thanks to a highly strategic approach, they also cover a variety of esports that are extremely popular amongst Indian youth and younger generations. Whether it’s DOTa, LoL, Counter Strike, Fortnite, young Indians can simply place their bets by using a mobile app or their laptops, without waiting for the regulatory bodies to even consider making this type of sports betting legal in traditional venues. Esports players like Raunak Sen, Ankit Panth, and Sagar Vyas have a celebrity status compared to that of the most popular cricket stars.

Another reason why so many Indians prefer online sportsbooks is live betting. Now, they can bet in real-time and even watch competitions and matches live-streamed to the betting platform. Depending on the circumstances, punters can easily place new bets and compensate for losses or take advantage of newly risen opportunities, unlike in traditional sports betting that seems so slow and outdated.

Live Casinos vs. Traditional Casinos

One of the main arguments so many players had while hesitating from joining the online casino craze, was that online casinos don’t have “the right feeling”. Sure, in the past there was no dealer, luxurious backgrounds or communication between players, and online roulette seemed more like a game of solitaire on your windows computer.

However, in India, where casino venues aren’t easily accessible, live casinos became an instant hit that attracts thousands of players to online casino establishments each day. Live casinos went a step further when it comes to how realistic they look. Games offered in live casinos are streamed from big, luxurious studios (or sometimes even special rooms in real casinos) and are presented with real, highly trained professional dealers. Players must find their seat at the table, just like in real casinos, and can communicate with both the dealer and other players via a special chat window.

Considering how most Indians must take a trip to Goa, Sikkim or Daman to experience real casino play, live casinos are considered to be the next best thing. Most respected online casinos offer a variety of games, just like any good brick-and-mortar casino would, and sometimes they even surpass the number of games one can enjoy. For a nation so obsessed with games of luck that they are part of their mythology and national epic, it is not surprising that live casinos became an essential part of everyday lives.