While gambling in India is still subject to more restrictions than in other countries, the number of gamblers in India is on the rise. In fact, between now and 2029, the gambling market in India is expected to grow between 6-7%. So, the big question is — why are tech-savvy gamers in India starting to favor slots and sports betting? Let’s take a look.
It’s Become Easier to Gamble
As we said, there are restrictions on gambling in India — although many of the more recent limits are there to curb illegal gambling rather than legal gambling. Over the last few years, it has become even easier to gamble legally. A lot of people are now growing up with access to the latest laptops and smartphones, so casinos are also upgrading their tech to keep up. As people become more familiar with certain types of tech, they are more likely to use it in all aspects of life — including gambling.
You also have to remember the number of smartphones available in India is rising. Most casino games, or even sports betting sites, will be available on mobile devices. People can now gamble wherever, and whenever, they want. The accessibility of gambling through tech has made it a whole lot easier for people to play — so they play.
There’s a lot of Choices
People love having options in the games they play. Take slots, for example, there are now thousands of different online slot machines (not all of them are accessible in India, of course). Each boasts slightly different features, graphics, and odds of winning. Choice has always been a driver for popularity because, let’s be honest, no matter who you are, you can probably find a game that is right for you.
The tech-savvy Indians know this more than any other. They have a choice at their fingertips, and they can access that choice through their mobile devices, or their computers. Never before have we had so many choices of casino games from the comfort of our own homes.
The same thing happened with sports betting. While Indian sports are popular, the vast majority of Indians watch foreign sports — for instance, the English and Spanish football leagues are incredibly popular in India. The problem is that unless you’re tech-savvy, it can be incredibly difficult to gamble on them.
However, increased access to gambling tech has changed this. Tech-savvy gamblers can now gamble on pretty much any event they want. The best part? There are more bets available than ever. This includes live gambling (where you gamble while the sport is happening), which is something that Indians never had an opportunity to gamble on before. There are a lot of Indian gamblers who love this because they can watch their favorite sports while gambling on the event.
There is a Prospect of Winning
Of course, one of the main reasons why tech-savvy Indians love to gamble on sports and slots is because there is a prospect of winning. We won’t lie and say that every Indian has access to extra cash to burn.
However, the more tech-savvy gamblers do. They have some cash to spend on their hobbies and, for many gamblers, gambling on slots and sports is where they choose to spend their money. After all, there is a pretty decent chance that they can make some extra cash when they do that.
Since gambling in India is currently a bit more in the open, people are feeling more confident with gambling and hopeful they will win. A lot of tech-savvy gamblers are also able to recognize when they’ve stumbled across a scam online casino or bookmaker, so they know they should be avoiding it.
The fact that people are becoming a whole lot more comfortable gambling online means that people will do it more. A tech-savvy generation drives this.
Final Thoughts — Why the Rise Will Continue
We don’t think there is a way online gambling trend in India will slow down. While the Indian government hasn’t been quite as open to online gambling as some other countries, it is evident that there has been a bit of rule loosening in recent years. Access to better tech has also meant that more Indians than ever can jump into online gambling.
India is one of the biggest growth markets when it comes to gambling now, so expect a lot of gambling companies to focus heavily on the market. This will only drive the growth further. For us, it’ll be exciting to see what happens.
