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A Look at Sports Betting in South America & India

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4 years ago

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Sports betting is something that continues to gain popularity all over the globe, and it shows no sign of slowing down any time soon. When it comes to sports betting, South America and India have a lot of things in common, while there are also plenty of differences. In this article, we are going to take a closer look at sports betting in South America and India and see which one has more room for growth.

Sports Betting in India

Sports betting has become a method of entertainment for a large percentage of the Indian population, and sports betting sites all over the world are aware of this. Many bookmakers are more than happy to accept players from India now as they know just how big the market is. Those who do not allow Indians to open an account with them are missing out on a large slice of the pie.

The Legal Status of Sports Betting in India

The laws and regulations surrounding online gambling are a bit of a grey matter in India, and this can come as no surprise when the laws that are in action came about when the British were colonizing India. In other words, the Indian government are still making use of gambling laws that came into being before the Internet was even invented.

For the most part, gambling is prohibited throughout India, although it is legal in a couple of states such as Sikkim and Goa. In these two states, you will come across a few land-based casinos. However, when it comes to sports betting, Indians can open an account with a sports betting site so long as they are not based within India. The Indian government are fully aware as to how much money they are losing in taxes, so it is highly likely that at some point soon they will amend the laws and regulations to include online sports betting.

Sports Betting Options in India

According to statistics and estimates, around half a billion Indians have regular access to Internet, while over 400 million watch sporting events and bet on sports. Below we shall look at the popular sports that Indians enjoy betting on.

Cricket

Cricket, without a doubt, is the most popular sport in the country. When people say that cricket is like a religion in India, they are not lying. When the Indian cricket team is playing or if there is an Indian Premier League game being played, the whole country basically stops to follow the events.

As well as watching cricket, Indians love to place bets on it. It has been estimated that Indians wagers $50-60 million on every IPL match. Bookmakers know just how much Indians love cricket betting, which is why the majority will do their utmost to ensure that they have plenty of markets and great odds for all the best cricket competitions such as the IPL, The Ashes, The Big Bash League, the World Cup and ODI and Test matches.

Football

Football is the most popular sport in the world, and it is also very popular in India, although not as popular as cricket. The football competitions that Indian football fans like to focus on are the Indian Super League, the China Super League, and the MLS. They also follow the biggest leagues in Europe such as the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, and Bundesliga. They also like to watch and bet on the Europa League and the Champions League. Indians love for football betting means that bookmakers offer markets and odds for many lesser leagues around the world.

Horse Racing

Indians love their horse racing and when it comes to popularity it is only behind cricket. While land-based sports betting is prohibited across the country, there is an exception when it comes to betting on horse racing. We do not know why this is the case, but it likely has something to do with the fact that horse racing would probably become obsolete if nobody could bet on it.

Horse racing is a popular sport all over the world, so most bookmakers that Indians can open an account with will have odds and markets for a wide variety of horse racing events.

Sports Betting in South America

Sports betting within South America is very diverse. This is not too much of a surprise since the different countries obviously have different laws and regulations when it comes to sports betting. Below we are going to have a look at sports betting in some of the biggest countries in South America.

Brazil

Brazil is a huge country with a very big population. The people of Brazil have plenty of interests but betting on sports is one that stands out from the crowd. When it comes to the legalities of sports betting, land-based sportsbooks are illegal, which is why black sports betting markets are thriving in Brazil.

Just like with India, online sports betting is a grey area. The current laws and legislation in place do not prohibit online betting, so there are a number of legitimate bookies out there that are happy to accept players from Brazil.

Brazilians enjoy betting on a variety of sport, but the one that stands out in terms of popularity is obviously football. The whole world knows how much Brazilians enjoy this sport. The people of Brazil rarely miss out on an opportunity to place bets on the Copa Libertadores or the Brazilian Championships. Obviously, whenever the Brazilian national team are playing there will be plenty of bets placed too. Other sports that Brazilians enjoy betting on include horse racing, basketball, UFC, and MMA.

Argentina

Sports betting goes back to the 1800s in Argentina. Just like with Brazil, football is the sport that leads the way when it comes to Argentinian sports betting. Why would you not have a passion for football when some of the greatest players to play the game have hailed from your country. We are obviously talking about the likes of Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi here. Other sports that Argentinians enjoy betting on include boxing, tennis, volleyball, and basketball.

The different provinces in Argentina have the authority to regulate sports betting, which means that in some provinces sports betting is legal, while in others it is illegal. Therefore, if you are in Argentina and you want to do some online sports betting, you should check whether it is legal to do so in the province that you are in. Buenos Aires, the country’s capital, was the latest province to allow online sports betting.

Chile

Before 1990, the only sport that Chileans could place bets on was horse racing. However, the government soon realized just how much the people of Chile love to bet on sports and how much money can be made from it, so they eventually came up with regulations and laws for online casinos and sports betting. These regulations state that betting sites must pay 20% taxes on their income from Chilean gamblers. This was put in place to ensure the betting platforms play by the correct rules or run the risk of losing their license.

When it comes to sports betting, it is safe to say that the people of Chile are not too picky about what sport they are putting their money on. However, like with Brazil and Argentina, football is the most popular sport in the country. With regards to sports betting sites, there are no shortage of them out there that are happy to accept players from Chile.

Where is There More Potential for Growth?

We have taken a closer look at sports betting in India and some of South America’s biggest countries, so we are now going to take a quick look at which one has more room for growth.

Legality: In this regard, South America and India have similar unresolved issues. They have outdated regulations and different laws for different states and countries that obviously have a negative impact on the sports betting industry in these regions. Only a couple of state in India and a few countries in South America have legalized gambling.

Large bookies: The markets available are obviously limited by the issues that we just mentioned above, but there are plenty of international bookies that are happy to accept players from India and South American countries. However, when it comes to quantity and quality of bookmakers available, Indians have an advantage over those from South America.

Payment methods: The amount of payment options available is a good level for both India and South America. However, this being said, e-Wallets, credit cards, and cryptocurrency options are more diverse for Indian sports betting fans.

It is clear that India has more room for growth in the sports betting industry, but it is also clear that both South America and India have plenty of issues that need to be resolved so that their people can enjoy the same sports betting experience that many other nationalities experience around the world.

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BetVictor Canada launches Tracy McGrady Safer Gambling campaign

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5 days ago

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March 31, 2025

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BetVictor Canada has launched its new out-of-home advertising campaign across the streets of Toronto to promote NBA legend Tracy McGrady as its Safer Gambling Ambassador.

Two mobile digital trucks strategically targeting high-traffic areas near Scotiabank Arena, Rogers Centre, and major sporting events will provide prime audience exposure for the campaign, scheduled around Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, and Toronto Blue Jays home games.

To further enhance the campaign’s reach, BetVictor Canada has partnered with Clear Media Group to leverage digital taxi tops across Toronto, providing city-wide exposure with 100 taxis displaying key brand messaging. These digital taxi tops will run during peak evening hours (5:00pm – 9:00pm) on select dates until April 5th, 2025.

The campaign coincides with Problem Gambling Awareness Month, a nationwide grassroots campaign held each March that seeks to increase public awareness of problem gambling and promote prevention, treatment, and recovery services.

BetVictor Canada offers an array of tools and services to help its Canadian customers bet and play safely and responsibly, across a host of sports betting markets and online casino games.

Mark Harper, Head of Emerging Markets at BV Group, said: “BetVictor is delighted to be participating in the National Council of Problem Gambling campaign in March, to help increase public awareness of problem gambling and the need to promote prevention, treatment and recovery services.

“In using our Safer Gambling Ambassador, Tracy McGrady, to raise awareness about BetVictor’s safer gambling tools such as loss limits, time alerts and product restrictions we are dedicated to ensuring all players have a safe gambling experience. #PGAM2025.”

The post BetVictor Canada launches Tracy McGrady Safer Gambling campaign appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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AGCO issues $110,000 in penalties to BetMGM Canada for offering cash to induce new gambling customers

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5 days ago

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March 31, 2025

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The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has served BetMGM Canada Inc. with an Order of Monetary Penalty (OMP) of $110,000 for violations of the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming.

In two separate incidents in 2024, BetMGM engaged marketing companies who offered cash to members of the public in return for opening new BetMGM accounts. The marketing activities occurred in public forums, such as a major national trade conference. Under AGCO’s Standards, operators are responsible for the conduct of their third-party suppliers who are contracted to support the operator’s Ontario gaming business, and must require their third-parties to meet Ontario laws, regulations and standards (Standard 1.19).

Ontario is one of the first jurisdictions in the world to establish and enforce rules that strictly limit high-risk inducement advertising and marketing in the online gambling industry. Registered iGaming operators are prohibited from offering gambling inducements, bonuses and credits as part of their broad public advertising and marketing activities (Standard 2.05). These Standards exist to protect Ontarians from predatory advertising and promotional marketing practices in order to limit the risk of gambling-related harm.

A registered operator served with an OMP by the AGCO has the right to appeal the Registrar’s decision to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), which is an adjudicative tribunal independent of the AGCO and part of Tribunals Ontario.

QUOTE

“Responsible gambling safeguards and the protection of Ontarians on registered gaming sites is among our key priorities. The AGCO monitors the activities of all registered operators and their third-party suppliers to ensure they are meeting our high standards and we continue to take strong action to ensure they operate within the public interest.”

Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar – AGCO

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

BetMGM Canada Inc. failed to comply with the Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming. Specifically, the licensee failed to comply with the following provisions of the Standards:

  • 1.19 Operators are responsible for the actions of third parties with whom they contract for the provision of any aspect of the Operator’s business related to gaming in Ontario and must require the third party to conduct themselves in so far as they carry out activities on behalf of the operator as if they were bound by the same laws, regulations, and standards.
  • 2.05 Advertising and marketing materials that communicate gambling inducements, bonuses and credits are prohibited, except on an operator’s gaming site and through direct advertising and marketing, after receiving active player consent.

Contrary to the Standards, BetMGM Canada Inc. and/or their affiliates allegedly engaged in the following activities:

a) On or about January 13 and 14, 2024, BetMGM representatives were alleged to have attended the National Franchise Show and were offering $100 in cash to new players for opening a new account and depositing $15.
b) On or about March 11, 2024, BetMGM acknowledged that its marketing affiliate “Above the Street” had engaged in prohibited inducement marketing. The conduct resulted in 377 player sign-ups and $127,180.00 in commissions to “Above the Street”.
c) On or about April 13, 2024, another BetMGM marketing affiliate “Maple Leaf Marketing” engaged in prohibited inducements and marketing to induce on-site activations and acquire new players. The conduct resulted in 94 player sign-ups and about $34,000.00 in commissions paid to “Maple Leaf Marketing”.

The post AGCO issues $110,000 in penalties to BetMGM Canada for offering cash to induce new gambling customers appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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BCLC Launches “What’s played here stays here” Campaign

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1 week ago

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March 27, 2025

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BCLC’s new “What’s played here stays here” campaign is issuing an important reminder to British Columbians who choose to gamble – specifically that all net profit its operations generate stays in B.C. to help fund critical services like education, health care and community programs.

The campaign also reinforces that all other gambling websites operating in B.C. are illegal and take away funds from critical community programs and services.

“Across B.C. and Canada, we’ve seen incredible groundswell around the importance of buying and supporting local, and that’s no different for British Columbians who choose gambling for their entertainment. We want our B.C. players to know they can find a world-class gambling experience in their own backyard, whether it’s at one of our 33 casinos, 3,400 lottery retailers, or online at PlayNow.com, and that the proceeds from their play with BCLC make a positive impact at home in their community,” Pat Davis, President and CEO of BCLC, said.

Along with illegal online gambling websites, BCLC also competes with Washington State and Las Vegas casinos, all of which aggressively market to B.C. residents.

“BCLC continues to raise awareness that these gambling options do not support B.C.’s economy and take away funds from vital provincial and community-based programs and services. In a time when British Columbians are standing united, we want to reinforce that playing together with BCLC helps make B.C. even better,” Pat Davis added.

The post BCLC Launches “What’s played here stays here” Campaign appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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