Cricket is one of the biggest and most-watched sports in the world, especially in countries such as India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. It is also a key driver of sports betting in these markets, helping the Indian iGaming sector, in particular, to grow at an average rate of 20% each year.
Make no mistake; punters flock online to wager on high-profile tournaments such as the IPL, while the status of the Indian test team as one of the best in the world has also helped to popularise sports betting amongst fans.
But what can you look forward to as a punter for the remainder of 2021, and how can you engage in safe online cricket betting?
Is Cricket Betting Legal?
The laws pertaining to online cricket betting vary across the globe, with the Indian authorities taking a particularly unique approach to regulate this marketplace.
More specifically, the legal history of sports betting can be traced back 154 years, when the wider practice of gambling was first prohibited in India under the Public Gambling Act of 1867.
While this made it illegal to offer all gambling services across the whole of India, it was written long before the digital age and therefore failed to make provisions for online gambling or remote sports betting.
Given that this central piece of legislation has yet to be fully revised and updated, it has created a scenario where online betting is not officially prohibited at the state level.
What’s more, the introduction of the 1950 Constitution of India afforded individual states greater legislative autonomy, creating a federal system in which regions were able to formulate their own gambling laws.
Since this time, only Nagaland, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana have extended the broader anti-gambling legislation to actually prohibit iGaming activities, with the remaining 26 states effectively enabling online betting (which is classed as a game of skill due to its reliance on knowledge of a particular sport or participants).
What Tournaments and Markets Can You Look Forward to in 2021?
The failure of most states to either fully regulate or outlaw online gambling has offered Indian punters access to a broad range of the best and most reputable international operators.
This allows them to enjoy a safe iGaming experience, while also opening up a diverse selection of outright and in-play betting markets.
This year’s global cricketing calendar is particularly packed, particularly if you’re an Indian sports fan. After recently contesting the World Test Championship final with New Zealand (which they lost), India is set to contest a five-match series with England in the summer, starting on August 4th and concluding on September 14th.
Shortly after this, the latest iteration of the Indian Premier League will conclude, following the decision to suspend the tournament as the worldwide pandemic soared in India at the beginning of May.
Just two days after this year’s IPL is scheduled to finish on October 15th, India will also join 15 other teams in competing for the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
This tournament will conclude on 14th November, with India scheduled to host the rearranged tournament and currently priced as favorites amongst most sportsbooks (at average odds of 11/4).
How to Engage in Online Cricket Betting?
If you want to bet on cricket online, you’ll first need to ensure that you’re in a state that doesn’t expressly prohibit this practice.
This is critical from a legal perspective, as both punters and operators can be heavily penalized if they break local laws that have outlawed online betting.
It’s also important to identify the best and most reputable cricket betting sites, ideally using an independent cricket online betting comparison site that objectively reviews platforms, the verticals that they offer, and the welcome bonuses available.
Currently, a whole raft of globally renowned betting brands operates in India, including 888 Sport, Unibet, LeoVegas, Royal Panda, and Betway.
Each of these are fully licensed in mature iGaming jurisdictions such as Europe and the UK, affording bettors both genuine peace of mind and access to a large number of betting markets.
The key is to compare accredited operators with your key priorities in mind, whether you’re looking for the most generous welcome offer or have your eye on a select few betting markets.