iGaming is a sector that is enjoying extraordinary growth worldwide, generating revenue that is increasing at a CAGR of eleven percent. The latest industry research suggests that this growth is happening as much in India as it is in the rest of the world.
Gambling has always been a popular pastime in India, but gambling habits in the nation are changing dramatically as the activity shifts from the traditional gambling halls of Daman and Sikkim to the online casinos in cyberspace.
India’s big city gamblers
Much has been made in recent months of the improved internet access enjoyed in rural India thanks to enhanced mobile connectivity and the availability of affordable handsets. However, the fact remains that technology is still predominantly focused in the six major cities. Indeed more than 60 percent of India’s online gamblers are in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, and Hyderabad.
A younger target market The big cities are home to India’s tech-savvy younger generations. It is worth remembering that
75 percent of the Indian population is under 45 years old. Young urban Indians are driving the iGaming market forward, a somewhat different demographic than that targeted by such markets as the USA, where gamblers tend to be older.
The point here is that while casino gaming is far more accessible and inclusive than the “playground for millionaires and playboys” that it was 50 years ago, it is still a pastime that is predominantly favoured by those who have disposable income that they are willing to spend on leisure.
Offshore providers crowding the market
A peculiarity of the regulatory system across most of India is that while its tech-savvy millennials are eager to be customers at online casinos, few are entering the iGaming market themselves. This is not through lack of willingness, but simple due to legal restrictions prohibiting the provision of online gambling services within the nation.
This has left the field wide open, and offshore providers are clamouring for a slice of the market.
Visit GO India, an independent resource that provides reviews and information about online casinos in India, to get a feel for what is available. One thing you will immediately notice is that these platforms are very similar to the online casinos you might visit in the UK or Canada or Australia.
A shift towards fast-action western-style casino games
That represents quite a change from India’s casino landscape prior to the online era, when land based casinos focused on Indian casino games like Teen Patti and Andar Bahar. These games are still available at today’s online casinos, but you will usually have to go past all the classic western-style games like blackjack tables, slots and TV-inspired real money live games in order to find them.
Lightning roulette, a modern twist on the classic game that adds multipliers from lightning flashes, is by far the most popular casino game among Indians, with standard roulette in second place and the “Wheel of Fortune” style live game
Crazy Time in third.
