India is probably the biggest country in the world with gambling and betting laws that are less than clear. Namely, while these activities are legal in some states, other states prohibit any gambling or betting. But, since the laws regarding these haven’t really been updated since the late 1990s, there really are no definite laws regarding online betting and gambling.
That being said, however, Indians simply love to bet and gamble online. And with the numerous opportunities to bet on one of their favorite sports, IPL betting (CBA) is simply blooming. Needless to say, since online betting and gambling only continue to rise in popularity throughout the world, Indian betting laws will need to change, sooner rather than later. Here are just some of the reasons why.
The Laws Are Outdated
As mentioned previously, the laws regarding online betting and gambling in India haven’t really been updated since 1996. But the Public Gaming Act was actually established in 1877, and it was only updated with an amendment in 1996. According to the Act, it is prohibited to register and operate casinos in India, visit gambling houses and participate in any betting or gambling. However, it is legal to bet on games of skill, which is the part many people find confusing, as there’s no list stating which games exactly fall under this category. What’s more, since horse race betting was made legal in India – due to the fact that this activity requires skill – many are left then wondering why betting on cricket, or playing poker and blackjack don’t fall under the same category.
It Would Reduce Offshore Betting And Gambling
Another major point is that by legalizing and regulating the Indian gambling scene, the need to go off-shore would be significantly reduced. This would not only bring significantly more convenience to Indian bettors and gamblers, but it would also notably contribute to the overall Indian economy. It is estimated that the underground betting scene managed to reach about $130 billion back in 2018. Considering this, it becomes quite clear how India, as a whole, could seriously benefit from legalizing gambling and betting – both online and offline. What’s more, if these activities ever become more regulated by the law, it would only potentially encourage even more people to try them out, in turn bringing even more revenue to the overall national budget.
It Would Also Improve The Reputation
In the end, more regulation and clearer laws would also help improve the overall reputation. Legalization would not only make it easier for the relevant authorities to stay on top of these activities, and keep a close eye on all the funds that go in and out of them, but it would also leave no room for shady behavior. For instance, back in 2013, India was involved in a huge match-fixing scandal, which could have easily been avoided, had there been proper rules and regulations preventing it from happening. So, it becomes quite clear that regulating the laws regarding both of these industries wouldn’t only benefit the country itself, but it would also improve its reputation in general.
With all of that being said, there are currently no indicators that the Indian government is moving towards changing or regulating any laws regarding betting and gambling. But it’s more than obvious that things need to change soon – and for the better – as such changes wouldn’t only benefit the bettors and gamblers themselves, but the country as a whole. It’s still unclear why there haven’t been any changes made yet, but with betting and gambling only continuing to rise in popularity, we can safely assume that the change is coming.
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