Over the last four years, India has transformed from a Tier 3 market into a dynamic Tier 2 jurisdiction in the iGaming industry. Currently, India might just be the fastest growing and most complex market in iGaming. While the love for cricket makes it an attractive market, there is much more to the story than these surface-level assumptions.

Popularity of cricket

There’s no denying that cricket plays a massive role in Indian sports betting, with the IPL being the crown jewel of the iGaming calendar. However, there’s a growing diversification beyond cricket that many don’t notice at first glance. The Indian Premier League (IPL) dominates the iGaming scene from April to May, and traffic spikes dramatically during this time. However, focusing your entire acquisition strategy on the IPL season could leave you with a problem for the rest of the year.

Football, especially the Indian Super League (ISL), is gaining traction. Additionally, traditional Indian sports like kabaddi, particularly through the Pro Kabaddi League, are opening new opportunities for engagement. IPL users tend to have a different profile; they place fewer bets and generate less revenue after the season ends. That’s why a sustainable strategy should focus on year-round user acquisition, not just capitalising on IPL spikes.

Discussing the Indian iGaming market, Already Media CEO Alina Famenok stated, “Our affiliate business has thrived in India, and it’s now one of our largest markets. But to succeed here, we had to dig deeper than just the usual tropes of a big population loving cricket.”

Challenges in iGaming localisation

The common perception that player value in India is low needs to be reassessed. While the lifetime value (LTV) of players in India might not match that of mature European markets, the cost-per-acquisition (CPA) is rising steadily. Operators are now paying upwards of $30 per user, and with India’s economy growing, these numbers are likely to increase. Entering the Indian market requires more than just translating content into English. Hindi is spoken by about 40% of the population, but there are numerous other languages like Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, and Urdu that offer huge untapped potential. Regional language-based content is becoming increasingly important as the country’s digital penetration deepens. This is where having content teams on the ground becomes critical. At Already Media, we’ve invested heavily in our local teams to ensure that we produce content that truly connects with our audience. India’s tax regulations, including the hefty 28% turnover tax, have caused some operators to exit. But others see this as an opportunity to step in and capture market share.

The key to long-term success in India’s iGaming market is adaptability. Keeping an ear to the ground, being responsive to regulatory shifts, and continually optimising for user acquisition throughout the year—these are the elements that will help businesses thrive in this fast-evolving landscape.

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