Asia
A Look at Indian Online Sports Betting Trends
Gambling has been a huge part of Indian culture for an extremely long time. There are many festivals that happen throughout the year, such as Diwali, where card games are enjoyed. In more recent years, sports betting has become a popular hobby that has led to plenty of match-fixing scandals as criminals try their best to beat the system. Overall, though, the majority play for fun on their mobile phone. In the following article, we are going to have a look at online sports betting trends in India.
Is Sports Betting Legal in India?
Like with many industries in India, the legality of the gambling industry is not clear cut, and it is expected that things will drastically change over the coming years. The government has history with making wrong decisions, so the people of India will be hoping that they will get this one correct. Whether they legalise gambling or not, they cannot stop it from happening, so regulating the gambling industry instead of prohibiting it would be the better option.
It really is about time that the government updated the public gambling act as it has been in use since 1867 when the British were in control of India. This act banned the construction of land-based casinos and gambling sites, but since the Internet was still over one hundred years away from being created, there is obviously no mention of online betting sites. So, while land-based bookmakers and casinos can only currently be found in states such as Sikkim and Goa, gambling at online casinos and sports betting sites is something that can be done across the country.
Online Sports Betting is on the Rise Across India
Despite the grey area, the online sports betting industry in India rakes in big bucks every single year. One of the main reasons for this is the fact that nowadays Indians are spending one-third of their time awake on the mobile phones. Most sports betting sites now have websites and apps that are very easy to use on smartphones, and many are happy to accept Indian sports betting fans because they can see how much potential for profit there is.
Indians can now simply sign up with a bookmaker that is based outside the country, download their app on to their mobile device and then gamble on their favourite sports wherever they happen to be, so long as they can connect to the Internet. There used to be a time where Indian sports betting fans would need to visit dodgy backstreet bookies if they wanted to bet on sports.
Cricket is the Country’s Favourite Sport
The main sport in India is cricket and Indians love to watch it, play it, and bet on it. Many often say that cricket is like a religion in India, and this really is not an exaggeration. Any cricketer that gets selected to play for India and goes on to have a stellar career will be treated like a God. One only has to look at the likes of Sachin Tendulkar to see this – he cannot go anywhere without having people screaming out to him and trying to touch him.
One of the world’s most popular cricket events is the Indian Premier League (IPL), and it is estimated that Indian cricket fans bet $50-60 million per match. The IPL features all of the best limited-overs players from around the world and they spend around 6 to 7 weeks entertaining hundreds of millions across India and the rest of the world.
When an IPL game is on, most of India stops what they are doing to watch the action. The 2021 IPL is scheduled to start on the 9th of April and finish on the 30th of May, and while there are no fans allowed inside the stadiums, it is still going to be a highly entertaining event and cricket fans cannot wait for it to start.
When it comes to cricket online betting in India the IPL draws the most money, but Indians love to bet on a variety of cricket, especially when the Indian national team is involved. If the Indian national team is not playing or the IPL has come and been, Indian cricket fans will have no issues betting on great cricket events that do not include their beloved team, such as The Ashes between England and Australia.
Due to the Covid-19 situation, a lot of cricket was postponed in 2020, meaning that there is a lot of catching up to be done. While this might be tiresome for the players involved, it is great for cricket fans across India and the rest of the world as there will be plenty of entertaining cricket to enjoy and bet on. We cannot forget that the Twenty20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in India in October and November of this year.
With all this cricket scheduled to be played, it is also going to be a great year for online sportsbooks as it stands to reason that the more cricket there is on, the more money will be bet on it. In fact, due to the overloaded schedule, there are many who believe that cricket betting is going to have its most lucrative year ever.
Horse Racing is Not Far Behind
Horse racing has been popular in India for centuries and is second only to cricket when it comes to betting. It is estimated that 35,000 crores are bet on horse racing each year and with one crore equaling around $140,000, we will let you work out the total amount. The fact that horse racing fans do not even have to leave their home now to bet on horse racing is something that has definitely helped increase the amount of money bet on this sport.
Football Betting is on the rise
Football is the most popular sport in the world, and it is gaining more popularity in India, although it still has some way to go to catch up with cricket and horse racing. When there are no cricket matches being played to watch and bet on, Indians will have no issue with turning their attention to the Indian Super League and some of the world’s best leagues such as the English Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga and the Serie A. They are also more willing to try their luck on South American and Chinese Leagues, which means that bookmakers that cater to Indians now have to embrace lesser leagues from around the world to keep their Indian contingent happy.
Asia
TWO PAGCOR MULTI-PURPOSE FACILITIES INAUGURATED IN TARLAC
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco on Monday, March 18, led the inauguration of two newly completed multi-purpose centers in the towns of San Manuel and Victoria in the province of Tarlac.
Mr. Tengco said the state gaming agency provided a total of Php100 million for both of the two-story projects.
“Naglaan ang PAGCOR ng limampung milyong piso para sa bawat multi-purpose center sa bayan ng San Manuel at Victoria; mayroon itong iba’t ibang pasilidad gaya ng kusina, storage areas para sa relief goods, toilet at shower rooms, lactating rooms at maluwag na activity area para sa iba’t ibang gawain,” he said.
The PAGCOR chief said that because the Philippines is very vulnerable to climate change, “typhoons, floods and earthquakes are common occurrences that we must always be prepared for.”
However, he stressed that while the buildings are primarily designed as temporary shelters during emergencies, the structures can be used for various socio-civic activities, too.
“During the height of the pandemic, when the project was rolled out, there was a high demand for quarantine and evacuation facilities. But now, there is more sense to call these as multi-purpose centers rather than just evacuation facilities,” Chairman Tengco said.
“You may use this facility as your social hall, events area, and livelihood training center. You may also use this building to generate revenues for the local government,” he said.
During the event, Chairman Tengco also introduced PAGCOR’s upcoming flagship programs which include school buildings for public schools, e-learning centers, community wellness centers, and socio civic centers nationwide.
“These upcoming flagship projects are designed to create lasting impact on the lives of ordinary Filipinos,” he said. “These are just some of our nation-building efforts because as you are all aware, PAGCOR is the third largest revenue contributor to the national coffers.”
San Manuel Mayor Doña Cresencia Tesoro thanked the PAGCOR chief for the agency’s support.
“We are grateful that PAGCOR saw our need. This multi-purpose center is so far the biggest project that we have seen in San Manuel, and this is proof of PAGCOR’s commitment to serve the Filipinos,” she said.
“We thank everyone who made this dream come to life. Rest assured that we will use this to enrich the lives of our people and the generations to come,” Tesoro added.
Board Member Harmes Sembrano of the 2nd District of Tarlac also expressed gratitude to PAGCOR for funding the two-story multi-purpose facility in Victoria.
“With our limited resources, we cannot afford to fund all programs that will be beneficial to the people of Tarlac. But because of PAGCOR’s help, we have this new multi-purpose facility which will serve not only the locals of Victoria but also those from neighboring towns,” Sembrano said.
PAGCOR has thus far completed and inaugurated 38 multi-purpose buildings in different parts of the country while 34 others are still under construction.
Asia
Ocean Sharma Becomes the First Esports Caster to Join World’s Biggest Cricketing League – IPL 2024
Ocean Sharma, a prominent caster of the country’s Esports industry, has been appointed as the national presenter for the highly anticipated season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 by Star Sports. This groundbreaking move marks a historic moment in Esports and sports broadcasting, as Ocean becomes the first Indian Esports caster to join the world’s premier franchise cricket league.
Ocean is widely recognised within India’s Esports landscape for his extensive experience and expertise as a caster and game analyst. His notable achievements include casting for official Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) tournaments and global Esports events such as the PUBG Mobile Global Championship 2021: League – East, PUBG Mobile Global Championship 2021: Grand Finals, and PUBG Mobile Pro League – South Asia Spring 2022.
For IPL 2024, Ocean will join hands with the league’s national presenters Mayanti Langer Binny, Jatin Sapru, Tanay Tiwari, Suren Sundaram and more to undertake various responsibilities as an anchor and reporter.
Ocean Sharma said: “As a passionate cricket fan, being appointed as the national presenter for IPL 2024 is truly a monumental moment for me. It presents an incredible opportunity to bridge the gap between Esports and mainstream sports in India, and I am honored to be at its forefront. With my experience, I am committed to delivering an unparalleled experience for all viewers and cannot wait to kickstart this innings of my career.”
Having enjoyed an illustrious career in Esports, this will not be Ocean’s first stint in the country’s sporting landscape as he has previously showcased his casting talent in high-profile tournaments such as Ultimate Kho Kho and Pro Kabaddi League.
“We are thrilled to see Ocean making strides in India’s sports industry after establishing himself as a notable figure in Esports. His journey is an inspiration for aspiring Esports enthusiasts, showcasing that the sector offers lucrative growth prospects in roles other than being a gamer as well. We are confident that his distinctive presenting skillset will enhance the excitement of IPL viewing for fans nationwide,” said Ketan Singhal, Ocean’s business manager and Founder of Phiesi.
Ocean’s unique content has established him as a distinguished figure in the Indian video gaming community with his Youtube channel comprising more than 858k subscribers and Instagram handle exceeding 450k followers. His inclusion in the IPL star cast is not only an individual achievement but also signifies a significant step forward in recognising the growing influence of Esports in mainstream sports.
Asia
Delegates propose games industry related regulations at China’s two sessions
China’s two sessions, which include the National People’s Congress (NPC) and National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) started on March 4 this year.
Over 10,000 policy proposals are submitted each year which are then forwarded to relevant government departments for discussion, which may lead to a new policy or be rejected.
Delegates made numerous proposals that may impact the video game industry in China, particularly around anti-addiction regulations (and one person suggested to completely ban video games), but other proposals suggested the benefits of serious games and gametech. Similar proposals happened in past years.
Source: Nico Partners
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