The All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) estimates that illegal cricket betting costs the Indian exchequer 2 lakh crore every year. In 2013, the Supreme Court appointed the Lodha Commission, which has looked into legalising cricket betting. While the report did not recommend legalisation, it does recommend that the BCCI introduce a mechanism that will prevent bookies from accepting bets. It also recommends that the BCCI introduce an additional disciplinary process to prevent bookmakers from accepting bets.
Despite the ban on gambling in India, some Indian states have legalized online sports gambling, including cricket. In Karnataka, horse racing betting is legal, while betting on cricket matches is still illegal. Although India’s laws prohibit gambling, some online operators have made their way into the country and are expected to continue to grow. In Maharashtra, games of chance are prohibited and only games of skill are allowed.
While betting on sports is illegal in most of India, it is legal to bet on cricket matches online. The laws on gambling in India are complex and vary by state, but generally, betting on sports events is illegal unless it is done on a racehorse or thoroughbred. Online sports betting websites that operate offshore do not violate gambling laws, so the Indian government does not see the benefit in them.
While Internet sports betting is prohibited in India, Indians can bet on the game using foreign websites. These foreign sites do not violate Indian gambling laws, and Indian citizens are able to gamble in Indian rupees via foreign websites. While online sports betting is illegal in India, Indians can bet on sports online through foreign companies catering to Indian customers. These companies, however, are not governed by Indian gambling laws, and are therefore legal.
