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Sports Betting in India 2026

Cricket, IPL, Esports and the Reality of Online Betting in India

India is one of the world’s most passionate sports betting markets and one of its most legally complex. Cricket betting alone generates billions in annual wagers. Yet the regulatory framework governing online betting remains in flux, with significant changes in 2025 adding new layers of uncertainty. This guide explains the current landscape honestly, covers what Indian bettors are actually doing, and outlines the options available, with a clear understanding of the risks involved.

The Legal Landscape: What You Need to Know in 2026

Online sports betting in India operates in a genuine legal grey area. Here is the honest picture:

The central law: The Public Gambling Act of 1867 – a colonial-era statute – remains the primary national gambling legislation. It prohibits operating gambling houses but does not explicitly address online betting or offshore platforms, creating the regulatory gap that international operators have historically exploited.

The 2025 change: The Indian Parliament passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming (PROGA) Bill in August 2025, which introduced a national framework distinguishing between permitted online games of skill and prohibited online money games including sports betting. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) subsequently blocked over 8,400 illegal betting and gambling websites. Enforcement has focused primarily on domestic platforms and payment processors.

State variation: Gambling remains a state subject, meaning rules vary significantly across India’s 28 states and 8 union territories:

• Sikkim and Nagaland have established licensing frameworks for online games including sports gaming
• Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have imposed complete bans on online gambling
• Most other states have no clear regulation for or against online betting – the Public Gambling Act applies but enforcement is inconsistent
• Goa permits land-based casino gaming under a licensing system

Offshore operators: International platforms like GGBet operate under Curaçao licences and continue to accept Indian players. They are not registered or licensed in India – they exploit the jurisdictional gap between Indian domestic law and international licensing. The legal risk under the 2025 PROGA framework sits primarily with operators rather than individual players, though the regulatory environment is shifting and this could change.

The reality: Millions of Indian bettors use offshore platforms daily. Enforcement against individual users has been extremely rare. But the landscape changed materially in 2025 and could change again – India’s regulatory approach to digital services has historically been rapid and sweeping, as the cryptocurrency sector discovered when the government imposed a 30% tax on crypto gains and 1% TDS almost overnight.

OddsMint’s position: We provide factual information about available operators. We do not provide legal advice. Always check the current laws in your specific state before registering with any online betting platform. If you are in Tamil Nadu, Telangana or Andhra Pradesh, online betting is currently banned under state law.

Cricket Betting in India: The Market That Drives Everything

Cricket is not just India’s most popular sport – it is one of the primary reasons the Indian online betting market exists at all. The Indian Premier League (IPL), international Test matches, ODIs and T20Is generate betting volumes that dwarf every other sport in the country combined.

IPL Betting

The IPL is the world’s most valuable cricket league and generates the highest betting volumes of any annual sporting event in India. Ten franchises, 74 matches across two months, and a format built for in-play betting – short boundaries, high scores and sudden momentum shifts make IPL markets exceptionally active.

Available IPL markets at international operators typically include: match winner, top batsman, top bowler, total runs (over/under), method of first wicket, innings runs, tournament outright winner and player performance props.

International Cricket

India’s international schedule – bilateral series, the World Test Championship, ICC events including the T20 World Cup and ODI World Cup — generates year-round betting interest. ICC events in particular attract significant market depth from international operators who recognise the Indian audience.

The World Cup Angle

The FIFA World Cup 2026 starts 11 June – and while football is not India’s primary sport, the tournament’s global scale and the availability of GGBet’s dedicated World Cup coverage makes it worth noting for Indian bettors who follow international football alongside cricket. See our FIFA World Cup 2026 Betting Guide for full coverage.

Esports Betting in India

India’s esports market is growing rapidly. Mobile gaming — particularly BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India, the Indian version of PUBG Mobile) — has created a large competitive gaming audience. CS2, Valorant and FIFA are also popular among Indian esports bettors, particularly in urban centres.

GGBet offers the most comprehensive esports market coverage available to Indian players — CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends, Valorant and more, including map handicap and live in-play markets on major tournaments. For a full guide to how esports betting markets work, see our Esports Betting Odds Guide.

Payment Methods for Indian Bettors

Indian players using international betting platforms face payment friction — Indian banks and payment processors are increasingly blocking transactions to gambling platforms following 2025 regulatory changes. Common working methods include:

• Cryptocurrency — Bitcoin, Ethereum and USDT are the most reliable deposit and withdrawal method for Indian bettors. Transactions bypass banking restrictions entirely. Despite India’s own complex crypto regulatory history (30% tax on gains, 1% TDS), crypto remains the most practical payment method for offshore betting
• E-wallets — Skrill and Neteller have historically worked for Indian players at international operators, though availability varies
• UPI and net banking — increasingly blocked for gambling transactions at Indian banks following the 2025 regulatory changes. Success rates vary significantly by bank
• International debit/credit cards — hit and miss depending on your bank’s transaction monitoring

Our recommendation: Cryptocurrency is the most reliable payment method for Indian players using international betting platforms. If you hold crypto, this removes the banking friction entirely.

A Note on India’s Rapidly Changing Regulatory Environment

India’s approach to digital regulation has historically been fast-moving and decisive. The cryptocurrency sector provides the clearest parallel – what was a grey area became a heavily taxed, tightly controlled activity within months when the government decided to act. Online gaming has followed a similar trajectory with the 2025 PROGA legislation.

This cuts both ways. The regulatory environment could tighten further – more blocks, more payment restrictions, potentially player-level enforcement. Or India could follow the global trend toward regulated, taxed sports betting markets, as the Law Commission of India recommended as far back as 2018. Either outcome is plausible.

For Indian bettors, the practical implication is: stay informed about regulatory changes, use platforms that have established track records with Indian players, and don’t commit funds you cannot afford to lose to a platform that could become inaccessible.

Responsible Gambling in India

Gambling should be entertainment. If it stops being entertainment, support is available:

• iCall: 9152987821 — mental health support including gambling-related issues
• Vandrevala Foundation Helpline: 1860-2662-345 (24/7)
• International: Gamblers Anonymous — gamblersanonymous.org

18+ only. Never bet more than you can afford to lose. Always check current laws in your state before engaging in online betting.

Further Reading

• GGBet Review 2026 — full review of the primary operator available to Indian players
• Esports Betting Odds Guide — CS2, Dota 2 and LoL markets explained
• FIFA World Cup 2026 Betting Guide — full tournament coverage
• Asian Handicap Betting Explained — the market used across cricket and football
• Best Offers for International Bettors 2026

OddsMint provides information about international betting operators. We do not provide legal advice. Online betting laws in India are complex, state-specific and subject to rapid change. Always verify the current legal status in your state before registering with any operator. 18+ only.