Online gambling in India is unstoppable, even cricket players are caught up in it

Cricket is India’s national sport, and it has inspired locals’ enthusiasm for sports betting. However, gambling is not just for sports fans, it is also popular among cricket players.

According to a study by the Professional Players Federations, many cricket players have participated in gambling activities or are interested in participating. In fact, the relationship between cricket and betting has long been inseparable, and now with the rise of online casinos, it has attracted more attention.

• The second most popular sport in the world

Let’s talk about cricket first! According to statistics from the well-known sports media Sporteology, the most popular ball sport in the world is football. The second is not basketball or baseball, but cricket, which is the favorite of Indians! Cricket is mainly popular in the Commonwealth countries, including India, Australia, South Africa, etc. It is estimated that there are about 3.5 billion cricket fans in the world, and there are 730 million cricket fans in India alone. The market size of cricket-related industries, from leagues, TV broadcasts to advertising revenue, is as high as 360 billion US dollars. Cricket is so popular that it is natural for casinos in India to have a place. The Indian National Cricket Team is one of the top cricket teams in the world, and the participation of cricket betting in the local area has also increased. And it is not just a simple match betting. In India, you can also find cricket slots and cricket lottery tickets, which are rich in variations. Indian online casinos also offer many preferential rewards, especially for novice players.

• Cricket and gambling have a close relationship

Cricket and gambling have been close for many years. Players' betting on cricket can be traced back to the 16th century. But with the development of technology, many Indian players now prefer to bet more. Online casinos have also flourished due to the diversity of game types. What remains unchanged is that cricket is still one of the most popular sports games. Well-known sports gambling platforms such as William Hill and bet365 also have cricket betting projects. According to the PPF survey, cricket was the most likely sports player to participate in betting. Whether it is to use gambling as a way to relax or to seek more excitement outside the court, studies have found that many cricket players even have signs of gambling addiction, which is why players have a set of rules to avoid excessive indulgence in gambling activities.

• The love of gambling is not gender specific

Although women seemed less attracted to casino games in the past, the proportion of men and women participating in gambling activities is actually not much different now. There are only some differences in the preferred game categories, but it is certain that both men and women enjoy the time of betting and entertainment. It is worth studying that although online casinos are very popular among athletes in India, female athletes have not had serious addiction problems like men over the years.

• Sports sponsorship is an important driving force

The survey found that a considerable number of cricketers or other athletes admitted that they started gambling because of "peer pressure". Some people describe sports and gambling as inseparable like peanut butter and jam on toast, and advertisements of gambling companies sponsoring sports events are everywhere. In order to combat excessive gambling, some sports organizations have begun to promote "responsible gambling" initiatives, such as the Education and Football League (EFL). As long as you don't cross the line, gambling activities are purely entertainment and not a problem. Anurag Thakur, the Indian finance minister who advocates the legalization of sports gambling, is also the president of the Board of Cricket Control of India. He believes that "betting activities will be an effective tool to combat match-fixing, which is why the feasibility of legalization needs to be considered."

• India's online gambling market has great potential

In summary, the relationship between cricket, Indian online casinos and gambling is still close, and it is expected to be the same in the future. Given that a large part of the sponsorship in the cricket world comes from gambling companies, the relationship between them will only become closer rather than alienated in the future. As the discussion on the legalization of sports gambling unfolds, if India has large-scale and clear legislative regulations in the future, it will be able to better protect the safety of sports betting. And with a huge market of 13 million people, India has the potential to develop a large online gambling market in the near future. rummybo