Top Indian States for Online Gambling – A Comprehensive Analysis
India is a rapidly developing economy creating favorable conditions for the development of many areas including casino gaming.
Below we will talk about is online gambling legal in India, the peculiarities of gambling laws and other things that move the industry forward.
Current State of the Digital Technology Industry in India – Interesting Facts
Since the early 2020s, many analysts have been calling India a global IT hub. Thanks to the strong presence of Facebook, Google, Amazon, and local startups, the digital technology market here has taken a huge leap forward in just a few years.
To better understand the current state of the IT sector, let’s look at the facts and figures:
- Today, India boasts of the second-largest subscriber base in the telecom industry in the world. The total number of wireless and wireline subscribers is around 1.2 billion Indians.
- The telephone density in urban areas is over 133% while in rural areas it is around 58%.
- In 2024, the number of internet users in India is expected to exceed 900 million. About 41% of India’s internet users live in rural areas.
- The average monthly mobile data consumption in India has grown nearly 280 times in the last 10 years.
- The exponential growth in mobile traffic is attributed to factors such as affordable tariffs, good coverage, introduction of MNP and government initiatives to support domestic telecom manufacturing.
A growing economy, an increasing number of tech-savvy users and the decreasing price of smartphones are the factors favouring the online gambling market in India.
Development of Online Gambling Industry in India
Thanks to the growing number of middle-class residents and even greater smartphone penetration, we are witnessing a boom in the gaming industry.
Here are some data according to Statista characterising the current state of the market:
- The projected revenue for the iGaming industry in India is expected to be around $2.9 billion in 2024.
- The annual growth rate in 2028 is expected to be nearly 6.5%.
- The average revenue per user in 2024 will be around $285.
- Today, India has a large consumer base of gamblers which will grow to nearly 13 million people by 2028.
With a population of 1.4+ billion people, it is a very attractive market for casino gaming operators. The convenience and accessibility of online platforms have made it easier for Indians to access online entertainment (casino gaming in Indian states).
The tech-savvy younger generation is showing a growing interest in online gambling and sports betting. The interactive and immersive casino gaming experience as well as the opportunity to win real money encourage Indians from various states to come to casino and sportsbook platforms.
Increasing internet penetration and the availability of convenient payment methods are additional factors driving the growth of the industry. The availability of digital wallet providers, UPI and other payment options has made financial transactions at iGaming platforms much easier for Indians.
The complex regulatory framework regarding gambling with many states banning gambling is a factor slowing down the growth of the market. However, despite these challenges, the demand for gaming services continues to grow rapidly.
iGaming Laws in India
In 2024, 460 million Indians were involved in online gambling and this number will increase to 600 million by the end of 2024. While India is very attractive for casino gaming operators, there is the question – is gambling legal in Indian states?
The gaming industry in Indian states gained legal status in 1967 when the Public Gaming Act was passed. However, even the Information Technology Act of 2000 made no mention of casino games or online sports betting.
The iGaming industry attracted the most attention from both lawmakers and the public during the COVID-19 pandemic when the demand for online entertainment increased significantly. Since then, some Indian states have legalized online gambling.
There are several localities including Telangana and Andhra Pradesh where online casino gaming is banned (there are also some other states with online betting ban in India). Those who violate this ban can be liable to fines and even imprisonment.
In addition, there are Indian states where casino gaming has been legalized.
States with Gambling Legal in India
Here are 5 states with gambling legal:
- Sikkim. In this state, games of skill and luck, including online casino games, are perfectly legal. There is a local authority that controls and monitors gambling and is responsible for issuing gaming licenses.
- Meghalaya. Skill-based games are legal in this state, including popular options such as poker and rummy (Meghalaya is the Indian state in which online rummy is legal in India).
- Goa. A popular state for tourists, Goa allows both online and offline gambling.
- Nagaland. In 2016, the government of this state passed a law bringing skill-based games into the legal realm.
- Daman and Diu. Unlike the above states, Daman and Diu officially allow only land-based gaming (imposed an online gambling ban in India).
To operate in the legal field, local casino gaming operators must have the appropriate license issued by the regulator. However, the lion’s share of the casino gaming market is made up of online platforms operating in states under the control of offshore companies.
The recent surge in demand for online gambling has led some state governments such as Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to impose a ban. However, the High Courts have overturned these bans as a complete ban on gambling is unconstitutional.
Realizing that a ban on gambling would not have the desired effect, governments of many states have begun to speak out in favour of legalization. Raising awareness of the risks associated with gambling and introducing responsible gaming tools on iGaming platforms may be the best way forward.
Gambling Culture Features of Different Indian States
With the first mentions of gambling dating back to the 2nd millennium BC, India is a country having an ancient gambling tradition. In those times, Indians favoured dice, chess and other table games associated with religious rituals and festivals.
As for iGaming, the shift of gaming to the online environment has made it more accessible to Indians than ever before. Due to its huge population (1.4 billion people by the end of 2023), India is an attractive market for foreign casino gaming operators.
Having analyzed data from Statista and KPMG India, we have compiled a table showing the percentage of registrations and visits on iGaming platforms for the states where gambling is most popular.
| State | Registrations | Visits |
|---|---|---|
| Maharashtra | 22% | 20% |
| Tamil Nadu | 18% | 16% |
| Karnataka | 15% | 14% |
| Andhra Pradesh | 12% | 11% |
| Telangana | 10% | 9% |
| Gujarat | 8% | 7% |
| Rajasthan | 7% | 6% |
| West Bengal | 6% | 5% |
| Kerala | 5% | 4% |
| Delhi | 4% | 3% |
Maharashtra is one of the largest states in terms of population. In addition, this state is characterized by a low poverty rate and quite high incomes, which makes it attractive for platforms that are casinos legal in India.
In second place is Tamil Nadu, which is a state with a rapidly developing economy and a large population (see list of online games banned in Tamil Nadu). Since not all forms of gambling are allowed here, you should check out the Tamil Nadu banned online games list including rummy and poker.
Next are the states that also have a significant number of gamblers mostly above the poverty level. A more detailed analysis shows that the largest number of paying gamblers and bettors are located in the six leading cities.
Analyzing the data of major iGaming operators serving the Indian market, we have identified the most promising areas in gambling:
- Traditional Indian games such as Rummy (except for rummy banned states in India), Andar Bahar, Teen Patti and others. These are still in high demand in many states, but their live dealer versions have gained momentum in recent times (see online rummy banned states in India).
- Western-style games. Modern Indian gamblers prefer RNG-based table games such as roulette or blackjack, as well as online slots.
- Live casino games. As high-bandwidth mobile data networks continue to evolve, games hosted by real croupiers are increasingly resonating with Indian players.
According to Statista, about 85% of players in India prefer to gamble on mobile devices. This means that a significant share of the market is made up of mobile-friendly iGaming platforms and apps offering both traditional Indian games and other gambling options such as slots, poker, blackjack and more.
In addition to online casino games, betting on various sports including both cricket and more western disciplines is in high demand. However, is sports betting legal in India?
Features of the Sports Betting Market in India
So, we have found out that in several states, online gambling is legal in India. However, the question is whether online betting is legal in India.
As with gambling, there are not too many legal online betting sites in India. In places where online betting is legal in India, the annual turnover is just over 2 billion dollars.
However, since placing bets on sports is accepted in states where betting sites are banned in India, the real picture looks quite different. According to analysts, the annual turnover of sportbooks is at least 50 times more than the official figure.
Just a few years ago, betting on cricket and horse racing dominated in all Indian states. However, now Indian bettors have also started to focus on soccer, tennis, ice hockey, basketball and some other Western sports.
Unlike online gambling, Telangana is the leading state with over 22% online bettors. In second place is Karnataka which is about 5% behind Telangana in terms of the number of people involved in sports betting.
These states are followed by Maharashtra (9.7%) Uttar Pradesh (7.4%), West Bengal (5.2%) and Madhya Pradesh (4.7%) where there is no law explicitly banning online sports betting. While bettors from Maharashtra mainly prefer cricket, in other states many bettors bet on Western sports.
Innovative iGaming platforms offering a host of features including live sports betting and support for cryptocurrencies resonate with those living in Hyderabad and Bangalore. In general, sports betting in the south of the country is in much higher demand than in other regions.
Impact of Economic and Demographic Factors on the Development of iGaming in India
Initially, economic growth, the number of tech-savvy citizens and cultural perception of gambling were considered to be the key drivers for the growth of the industry. However, recently there has been an increase in demand for Western-style gambling and sports betting, which cannot be ignored when analyzing the Indian market.
Today, India’s major cities are home to a middle-class population of over 350 million people. With higher income levels and access to advanced technology, these individuals can afford to spend more time and money on online entertainment.
To understand the differences between urban and rural realities, let’s turn to the numbers. According to Statista, we have compiled a table showing the share of rural and urban internet users for different age categories.
| Age Group | Rural (%) | Urban (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 15-24 years | 40.8% | 29.7% |
| 25-34 years | 33.3% | 27.2% |
| 35-44 years | 24.7% | 23.8% |
| 45-54 years | 19.0% | 20.3% |
| 55-64 years | 12.7% | 15.7% |
| 65+ years | 5.6% | 9.8% |
The above data shows that the gap between rural and urban Internet users is no longer too wide. The annual growth of Internet users for both worlds is about the same and amounts to about 18%.
However, this table does not take into account the fact that many rural residents still only have access to low-bandwidth mobile networks. On the other hand, as coverage of 4G and newer generation networks expands, the number of potential customers of online casinos and sportsbooks will increase.
Bottom Line
Today there are many states and major cities with a population having quite a high level of income and being interested in online gambling and sports betting. The only obstacle is still the uncertain legislation regarding iGaming, but there is every reason to believe that India as a whole is moving towards legalization.
The majority of India’s population is made up of tech-savvy young people with a smartphone connected to the internet. Although internet penetration in rural areas is lower than in urban areas, there is potential for further growth of the iGaming market which is expected for years to come.
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