Prior to the internet, there were only a few places for Indians to play casino games. The gambling houses in the nation were, and still are, only located in the states of Goa and Sikkim, meaning that anyone who wanted to play table and slot games had to travel. Betting and gambling are popular in the country, though, with lotteries and horse racing being available almost everywhere. Now that more Indians can access the internet, online casinos are rising in popularity at an astonishing rate. The government needs to ensure that systems are in place to ensure the industry’s sustainability.
The Rise of Gambling in India
India has recently emerged as one of the world’s hottest gambling markets. This is because the industry is relatively new in the region, with internet take-up having previously been further behind the western world. The number of people online in the country has more than doubled in the last five years, though, with 696 million internet users in 2020 compared to 302 million in 2015. Online gaming and gambling, in particular, have proved to be particularly popular across the nation and now developers are gearing their offerings towards the Indian market.
Indians can now log on to the internet and find all of their betting or gambling preferences at their fingertips. The site recommends the best places to bet on sports like cricket, based on the welcome offers for newcomers to the sites. It also discusses the top online casinos based on the games that they offer and how safe they are. Players can find the rules to the games, and other information such as payment methods.
Comparison sites like this highlight how big the online casino business is becoming in India. It also underlines the need for the operators, as well as the government, to ensure that they are fulfilling their duties of social responsibility.
Educating the Nation on the Effects of Gambling
As the casino industry continues its meteoric rise across the country, India needs to make sure the systems are in place to deal with any potentially negative outcomes. One of the best ways to do this is to educate people about the effects of gambling in as many ways as possible. Online casino operators should donate a proportion of their profits to the development of schemes, which should then be implemented on a national level by the government.
The two main ways to make people aware of the risks of gambling are through teaching in schools and advertising. The education system can cover issues such as gambling addictions in the personal and social care curriculum. In the program, teachers could examine how problem behaviors originate and teach people how to deal with the root causes. It could also go into detail about how players who do feel as though they have a problem can seek help and guidance.
Advertising drives can be done during the broadcasting of sporting events. Famous sport or Bollywood stars could be employed to appear on the television and warn people about the negative aspects that are associated with gambling.
Learning from other Countries and Looking to the Future
One of the best ways to prepare for the future and ensure that India’s gambling market can thrive positively is to look to the success of other countries. Copying methods that have worked well elsewhere could be the key to sustainability. BeGambleAware, for instance, is one of the leading programs in the UK in dealing with issues that arise from gambling.
BeGambleAware acts as a point of call for anyone who feels they may have a problem with gambling and needs someone to talk to. They can call a number confidentially and chat with professionals on a 24-hour basis. These experts can help people take control of their own gambling or could advise someone who believes they have a friend with a problem. If India replicated this idea, it could be a major step forward in preparing for a future in which there will be many more gamblers in the country.
The growing gambling industry in India should be a huge benefit to the economy, especially as the majority of the people in the country are expected to be online by the end of the decade. If the government puts plans in place to reinject a substantial amount of this into gambling awareness programs, the industry should have a sustainable and prosperous future. This is a great opportunity for India to become a world leader in combatting gambling issues.
