Online gambling is booming in India, and fingerprint machines are helping people in Mokama pay for bets at one of the hundreds of corner betting shops across the country. But as this boom has grown, so has scrutiny. In 2023, the Indian Enforcement Directorate cracked the whip on betting platforms, revealing illegal proceedings that involved effects of money laundering and offshore shell companies. These websites pretended to provide legitimate gambling facilities, but turned out to be illegal operations.
Now the question is, “How can Indian players make sure they are betting on safe and legitimate platforms?”
With little oversight and varying player protections, Indian players are left without guidance from local authorities. This article explores the protections offered by betting apps, how effective they are, and where gaps still leave players exposed.
Are Indian Betting Apps Even Regulated?
Though gambling is banned in most Indian states, a way around the law is found. There is no specific restriction or ban on online betting being enforced yet, solely because the platform is based overseas. Most sports betting apps are licensed in countries like Curaçao, Malta, or the Isle of Man. They accept Indian players and payment methods, such as INR, UPI, or digital currency.
While they serve Indian users, they are not accountable to Indian authorities. The lack of a clear regulator in India allows these sites to operate in a legal gray area, avoiding domestic laws.
India has laws like the Public Gaming Act of 1867 and the Information Technology Act of 2002, but neither addresses online gambling. Without new laws, these businesses remain largely unchecked.
Also Read: Madras High Court Backs Tamil Nadu’s Online Gaming Ban and Aadhaar KYC: Impact on Poker & Rummy
Are Betting Platforms Offering Player Protection?
Even some of the most well-known Indian online betting sites, like Betway, Parimatch, and Bet365, have introduced “Responsible Gambling” features. These include deposit limits, session reminders, and self-exclusion options. These features aim to promote responsible play by allowing users to set a cap on their losses or take a break from gambling altogether. For example, Betway lets users freeze their accounts. Both Parimatch and Bet365 offer self-exclusion options, similar to those on their global sites.
But what lacks visibility is the practice of these tools. In many apps, responsible gambling options are hidden away and hard to reach without specifically looking for them. Although the initiatives are promising, however, the visibility and accessibility are far from ideal. When you sign up or make a deposit, you are generally not introduced to these options. In other words, most players won’t even be aware of these features unless they actively seek them out.
Where Indian Betting Apps Fall Short
Yet even the best-intentioned Indian betting apps do not always adequately safeguard their users. Age verification is one such key concern. Most platforms ask if users are over 18, though few take the proper steps to verify age. Sign-up is easy, and you can deposit and bet without ID verification. In many cases, users are asked to verify their age only when they withdraw funds.
And lack of support is a major problem as well. A user who has a problem or is looking for help typically finds their only recourse is to call overseas customer support or look at UK help sites. The lack of an Indian helpline even furthers the difficultly among local users to reach out for immediate help when they need it the most.
Secondly, the predatory approach to gambling of these betting apps is extremely dangerous. Platforms use influencers, celebrities, and even cricketers to push betting onto people during major events such as the IPL or the World Cup. This marketing often involves attractive bonuses and notifications in the app, encouraging users to make a bet, none of which is regulated. This lack of oversight leaves users vulnerable to predatory marketing practices that can prompt unsafe gambling.
What Responsible Betting Should Look Like in India
There is a clear need for more robust player protections. One potential solution is real-time monitoring of player behavior. For example, if a user deposits five times in one day or continues to bet after losing a large sum, the app should trigger a warning and pause their account temporarily. This would help limit impulsive and harmful betting behaviors. Unfortunately, no Indian betting app currently offers such proactive features.
Additionally, proper age verification should be required before users can even start placing bets. If Know Your Customer (KYC) verification is necessary to withdraw funds, it should also be required for account creation. Furthermore, player data—such as time spent on the app and average bet size—should be readily visible in the dashboard, allowing users to track their betting behavior and make more informed decisions.
Lastly, government regulation could play a pivotal role in setting industry standards, requiring mandatory exclusions and establishing licensing requirements for INR-based betting platforms. Until then, Indian players will have to rely on self-regulation, making it vital for users to be proactive about setting limits, tracking spending, and taking breaks.
Final Take
To sum up, much of it is your responsibility to gamble safely and responsibly. While many platforms have provisions for safety, the implementation is lax, and regulations are practically non-existent in India. And with no regulatory framework or oversight to speak of, the doors are still wide open for online betting apps to run wild.
Indeed, for these particular platforms, users should rather be the ones who actively demand to become more responsible for their safety. This may involve establishing personal boundaries, monitoring cents and dollars, or taking breaks. A few betting apps are indeed serious about responsible gambling, but most leave their customers exposed. Until stricter regulations are in place, Indian players will continue having to be on guard against predatory practices.
