A Look at India's Online Gambling Market in 2020

Aadhya Khatri - Nov 26, 2020


A Look at India's Online Gambling Market in 2020

The growth of iGaming brands has led to a huge increase in the popularity of online gambling in India over the past few years.

Easier access to gambling opportunities, the availability of affordable mobile apps for gambling, and increasing internet penetration are factors that have driven this growth. Here are some of the trends witnessed in India's gambling market in 2020. There has been incredible growth fueled by some of the biggest iGaming brands in the world. This has led to a huge increase in the popularity of online gambling in India over the past few years. In turn, this has seen the country emerge as one of the top gambling markets in the world.

COVID-19 and Online Gambling

The rapid spread of COVID-19 in India forced the government to impose strict lockdown restrictions. The pandemic has created a situation where people find themselves with lots of time in their hands. With more Indians owning smartphones, many of them have turned to online gambling to pass their days. As a result, gambling platforms have reported growth in user engagement. With the pandemic accelerating the demand for gambling, expect the industry to gain even more momentum in 2021 and beyond.

Online Gambling vs. Casino Gambling

India has some of the most stringent gambling regulations in the world. Casino gambling is only legal in three out of 26 states (Sikkim, Goa, and Daman). Even so, casinos in these states only admit tourists. Online gambling in India doesn't fall within the purview of the country's gambling laws. It isn't entirely legal, and neither is it illegal either.

This is why operators have taken advantage of the situation to provide gambling opportunities. Unlike on-land casinos, gambling platforms tend to be straightforward, easy to understand, and easily accessible. Online gambling platforms are also available 24/7, which means players can easily access them whenever they want.  

Online Gambling is Only Getting Better

India's online gambling industry generated revenues worth INR 62 billion in 2019, and this figure is likely to rise in 2020. When you take a trip down memory lane, you'll realize that the industry has grown impressively. Although you can't compare the online gambling experience with the Macau-like atmosphere you'll get in an on-land casino, advancements have been made to heighten the user experience on online casinos.

When you get onto an online casino, the first you'll notice is the attractive animations, live dealers, live streaming of HD videos, and engaging graphics. This helps to bring a semblance of a typical land-based casino to you. Authorities are beginning to realize that the online gambling industry could be a significant income earner for the country.

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Easier access, the availability, and increasing internet penetration are factors that have driven this growth

Online Gambling Market Segmentation

One thing that makes online gambling popular is its versatility. Thanks to the wide variety of games, you get to choose what you like. You can enjoy poker, blackjack, roulette, or even bet on the outcomes of your favorite sports. Sports betting remains the favorite activity for most online gamblers, followed by casinos, poker, and bingo.

Although betting on the outcome of sports events is illegal as per the Indian constitution, individual states have the right to formulate their own gambling laws. On their part, operators claim to offer gaming opportunities just for fun rather than a form of gambling. This has contributed significantly to the growth of online sports betting in the country.

What Does the Future Hold?

As we head into the future, expect the legal gray areas relating to online gambling to be addressed. There are already calls for the national and state constitutions to be amended to address the issue explicitly.

Thanks to technological advances, Indians have incredibly responded to and participated in online gambling over the past few years. Thanks to the increasing uptake of smartphone use, the future looks even more promising, with more Internet penetration and digital payment platform development. These are three of the main drivers of the online gambling market.

There is scope for further growth in the industry since the market is continuing to progress on the back of technological advancement and sustained innovation. Gaming operators and players have embraced these changes, and this has caused the seismic shift witnessed in the industry over the past few years.

Experts point out that cryptocurrency will become increasingly influential in India's gambling market. Already, gamblers can access Bitcoin-inspired online casinos. This will force gambling operators to integrate cryptocurrencies along with credit card payment options and e-wallet solutions.

Key Takeaways

As India's online gambling industry grows, operators have the challenge of adopting the latest technologies to stay in the game. However, expect them to overcome this test because India, as a whole, is getting more tech-savvy. With this in mind, we should expect online gambling to become a crucial component of India's economy in the coming years.

>>>What to Look for in an Online Gaming Application

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