India’s Online Betting Communities Explained – There is no doubt in the fact that India loves to gamble. Whether it is on sports like cricket and football or casino games like rummy, poker, teen patti – online gambling and betting is prevalent, despite a dearth of regulation and laws around the subject. With a population of 1.4 billion and counting – a vast majority of whom have easy access to mobile internet, India is undoubtedly one of the most sought-after markets for online betting sites, casino providers, and gaming platforms. This article attempts to break down how this betting appetite is split across the country.
Understanding the Demographic Landscape
Considering the country’s massive size and population, it is important to identify which cities/regions are more open to accepting online gaming platforms. This entails understanding the essential socio-economic factors, consumer knowledge when it comes to comprehending the gambling products, internet penetration, consumer awareness, among other things.
The ENV Media report, which explores India’s Online Gambling Communities, has concluded that the scope of the market within the context of online gambling (sports or casinos) can be limited to urban cities with a population upwards of 1 million people. In this regard, the metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore – followed by Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune, and others.
The second thing to note here is the ability of the players to bet. Whether it is pertaining to disposable income or a simple technological factor like internet penetration, the standard of living in India is a critical factor in realising where India’s bettors come from.
As expected, the number of young mobile users in India is among the largest globally, courtesy of low-cost smartphones and widespread mobile internet (4G). However, while metropolitan cities take the cake, there is still some disparity in internet penetration. For instance, Karnataka – one of the most prominent IT hubs in the country – has only 42 percent of its population access to the internet.
And then there is also the matter of gender divide. In urban cities, the share of the male population with access to the internet is well more than the female counterparts.
On the flip side, the proportion of users with access to the internet in urban and rural areas is more or less the same, with negligible differences.
So, How Does this Fit into the Context of Betting?
Within the realm of online casinos, states like Maharashtra, Telangana, West Bengal, and Karnataka boast the most users with the last three close to 10 percent while Maharashtra is at 17 percent. These are also the states where the Human Development Index (HDI) averages above 0.640 while the poverty rates remain under 20 percent. Interestingly, regions with higher HDI and lower poverty rates like Delhi, Punjab, and Kerala rank fairly low in the user percentage share.
The state of Uttar Pradesh also ranks quite high with an 8 percent user share – with a high poverty rate of 30 percent and an HDI of 0.596. That said, the data may be skewed here since the state is the largest in India by population, featuring at least 10 cities with a population of over a million. As a result, it isn’t easy to target a precise location.
As for sports betting, people enjoying sites like Pure Win Sports come predominantly from similar regions. However, Telangana and Karnataka seem to have a bigger appetite for sports betting, boasting 22 percent and 17 percent user share, respectively. These states are also relatively high in HDI and are also two of India’s leading technological hubs.
Another common ground between the two states is that online betting is prohibited within the state limits by local governments, prompting young betting enthusiasts to seek other alternatives. Other regions that follow are Maharashtra, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh.
The advent of live cricket satta rates has made it possible for people in these regions to enjoy cricket betting. India is well-known for wagering on cricket games and with more relevant information available to the users by the day, punters are finding it increasingly easy to fulfil their betting appetites.
The last element to consider would be how these users access the betting services. Not so surprisingly, a majority of the users prefer to use their mobile phones rather than desktops, especially in regions like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Bihar.
Parting Thoughts
The lack of regulation and legislative norms have made it easy for offshore betting providers to offer their services to the Indian audience. The trend is growing by the day, especially with the advent of cheap smartphones and affordable internet. Cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, and Hyderabad contribute a great deal to the online gambling market in India, with other regions like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar also contributing a fair bit.
The trend seems to be more focused in regions where the HDI is relatively higher, implying that disposable incomes, understanding the game/betting nuances, and general consumer awareness are critical in the penetration of online betting in India.
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