The Scenario of Online Gaming in India

The Scenario of Online Gaming in India

Gaming has always been a favourite past-time for Indians and the rest of the world in general. Wins and losses in a game are like an ocean current. One moment it seems favourable and the very next, turbulent. But nothing keeps people from going back to wagering even if they met a streak of upsetting losses. This is the nature of games because it makes people passionate the more they play.

In a country like India, gambling is somewhat an expensive hobby and has a dedicated fan base of its own. It mostly appeals to people who have an excess of wealth to spend but are discontent with the ordinary. And the extraordinary factor, if you haven’t guessed, is “online gaming”. If one went by the ancient chronicle, it’s easy to see why India is a gambling hub.

In chapters of Mahabharata, gambling is always shown intertwined with the desi culture. However, it’s portrayed brutally on many occasions because of people’s tendency to feel paranoid when the outcome is not what they expected.

Today if we looked at the gambling industry, whether online or offline, we’d be staring at businesses estimated to be several billions of dollars. But the stigma surrounding it has never ceased to exist.

While a few grumble about cons of gambling, the truth is they lack the acuity of professionals and aren’t mulish enough to soak up a loss even if it’s a minor one.

The gambling laws in India is clearly a case of legal mumbo jumbo, but unlike it, the Caribbean nations have a much softer stand.

Therefore, players from most Indian states find themselves in a bubble unable to escape its binds. This has brought us to questions like “should betting be legalised?” If so, “how will it impact the sports industry?”

There would be some respite once India too, just like other nations, starts clearing the water on online gaming. Lodha, former Supreme Court justice openly backed legalisation of gambling in hopes that it would give the sports industry a fresh lease of life.

Even places like Australia and England have relaxed laws on gambling. Apparently, in many cricket matches, the boundary wires dotted names of top online betters. We may have also heard of Real Madrid making Bwin as its official partner. So if there’s overwhelming support from all quarters, why should Indian players be the only ones staring at the void?

Until a few years ago, playing table games like Poker or Roulette became possible only at brick and mortar casinos in India. But now we have caught up with the technology that the rest of the world uses. Not only is gaming online on par with many land-based casinos, sometimes, but the experience is also a cut above the rest.

While the gambling laws in India is still somewhat unclear, it doesn’t say much about the scope of online gaming. Therefore, realising this, operators continue to offer online casino services that are licensed by foreign jurisdictions. This automatically overcame all barriers before players as it was no longer illegal or legal but simply a grey area under the law.

Therefore, players choosing an online casino had to vet each of them with care to ensure they have proper licenses and ratings because any disputes with unregulated or fly-by-night operators would leave them deserted by the law as it is not covered by most Indian laws.

That said, today, players are spoilt with choices as there are thousands of casinos to choose from. A few popular ones include Jeetwin, Bet365, Melbet, and more.

Since India and several other South Asian nations are considered key markets for many of these operators, they are never shy about offering promotions and offers to attract players. These are not just any promos that give a few redeemable bonus points. But they help players increase their winnings substantially by following the wagering conditions.