Indian betting payment channels in detail: the whole process of deposit and withdrawal of money

Indian betting payment channels in detail: the whole process of deposit and withdrawal of money

In India, gambling activities are subject to strict legal restrictions. Under the Public Gambling Act and the Information Technology Act, online/offline gambling is illegal except in a few licensed areas. The public is strongly advised to stay away from any form of illegal gambling activities.

For legitimate financial transactions, the payment channels regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) include:

  1. Legitimate payment methods: UPI, NetBanking, Paytm and other regular e-wallets
  2. Chartered lotteries: some state-run lotteries
  3. Portfolio Investment: SEBI regulated formal investment channels such as equities, funds, etc.

Any gaming platform that promises "high returns" and "fast withdrawals" may be involved in financial fraud. We remind citizens:

  • Protection of personal banking information
  • Be wary of unconventional transfer requests
  • Financial management through formal financial institutions

If you come across a suspicious platform, immediately report it to your local cybercrime unit or call the Indian Cybercrime Tipline at 1930.

In India, gambling and betting activities are regulated by strict laws and most forms of online gambling (e.g. sports betting, casino games, poker, etc.) are prohibited in all states, with only a few licensed areas (e.g. Goa, Sikkim, etc.) allowing legal operations. As a result, payment channels involving betting are often in a grey area or illegal.

Nonetheless, some international or underground gaming platforms handle deposits in a specific wayrespond in singingWithdrawal (withdrawal) transactions. The following are common modes of operation:

1. Indian Gaming Payment Channels - Deposit Methods

As banks and regular payment gateways do not usually provide support for illegal gambling, players usually top up using the following methods:

(1) UPI / IMPS / NEFT transfers

  • Some platforms offer personal/merchant UPI IDs or bank accounts for players to transfer funds directly.
  • Risk: Easily flagged as a suspicious transaction leading to account freezing.

(2) E-wallets & P2P payments

  • Paytm, PhonePe, Google Pay and others may be used for small top-ups (but gambling transactions are officially banned).
  • Cryptocurrency (USDT/BTC): Some platforms accept stablecoin USDT or other digital currencies as an alternative to circumvent regulation.

(3) Skrill / Neteller / AstroPay Card

  • These international e-wallets can sometimes be used to make deposits to offshore casinos, but this has become more difficult in recent years after the RBI tightened exchange controls.

(4) Cash Deposit (offline cash deposited into agent's account)

  • Some agents require users to deposit into a designated bank account and charge a handling fee (5%-10%).
  • high risk: Vulnerability to fraud or interception of funds.

2. Indian Gaming Payment Channels - Withdrawal Methods

Withdrawals are more difficult and risky than deposits:

(1) Bank Transfer (Private Money Transfer)

  • The platform may make payments to the player through a third party personal/company account.