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Betting in India: the 2025 ban and the sites Indians still use
India was the largest grey betting market in the world until Parliament passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act in August 2025, banning real-money online games, betting included, and penalising operators and advertisers. Payments through UPI were already restricted and the tax regime, 28 percent GST on deposits and 30 percent on winnings, was already punishing. The international platforms continue through mirrors. Here is the position, and the honest view of the sites that still accept Indians.
The legal position
Betting was always a state matter in India, governed by colonial-era gambling acts and a handful of state laws, with Sikkim and Nagaland licensing a few operators and Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka banning online gaming outright. The 2025 Act made it national: online money games are prohibited, offering or advertising them is an offence, banks and payment providers must refuse them, and the ministry blocks their domains. The Act targets operators and advertisers rather than players, but the result for a bettor is a market with no lawful online option.
Before the ban, the tax rules had already bitten: a 28 percent GST on the full amount deposited with any real-money game, and a 30 percent tax on net winnings deducted at source under sections added in 2023. The international platforms never collected either, which is one reason the state moved against them.
What exists anyway
1xBet, Megapari, Paripesa and their siblings run Hindi and English sites with rupee accounts, reached through mirrors, paid through UPI intermediaries who accept transfers and credit the account, through e-wallets and through crypto. bet365 has long accepted Indians in rupees. None holds any Indian authorisation, none offers recourse, and the intermediaries carry their own risk. Balances should be small and in stablecoins; withdrawals prompt.
The international platforms that accept Indian players
Ranked by our test score. None holds any Indian authorisation; the 2025 Act prohibits the service they offer.
OfferFirst-deposit match
LicenceCuraçao
UPI (via intermediaries)USDTSkrillVisa
OfferFirst-deposit match
LicenceCuraçao
UPI (via intermediaries)USDTSkrillVisa
The three, in short
1xBet
Hindi and English sites, rupee accounts, UPI intermediaries, wallets and crypto, the widest cricket and kabaddi menus available; USDT withdrawals within the hour in our test. No authorisation, no recourse.
Megapari
The same platform family with a strong Indian focus, cricket depth and its own promotions; the same payment routes.
Paripesa
A third sibling with cricket and football depth and a different bonus.
Other tested operators that accept Indian players
All accept Indians through mirrors; none is authorised, and bet365’s rupee service faces the same ban.
OfferFirst-deposit match, promo codes
LicenceCuraçao
UPI (via intermediaries)USDTSkrillVisa
OfferFirst-deposit match
LicenceCuraçao
UPI (via intermediaries)USDTSkrillVisa
OfferBet credits for new customers
LicenceUKGC, MGA
UPI (via intermediaries)USDTSkrillVisa
Payment methods that work in India
UPI transfers to intermediaries are the common route and the riskiest; crypto is safer; direct card payments are refused.
UPI via intermediariesUSDTSkrillNetellerVisa
Frequently asked questions
Is online betting legal in India?
No; the 2025 Act bans real-money online games nationally, and several states had banned them earlier.
Can a player be prosecuted?
The Act targets operators and advertisers; players are not its main object, but there is no lawful option.
What are the taxes?
A 28 percent GST on deposits and a 30 percent tax on net winnings applied to real-money gaming before the ban.
Is there any recourse?
None on the international platforms.
This page describes a market where online betting is not authorised. The operators listed accept players from the country without a local licence and offer no local recourse; using them may carry legal risk. Some links are affiliate links; sponsored boxes are labelled and never affect the order.