Best Payment Methods for Online Gambling in India

Payment Methods Accepted for Gambling in India

There are a lot of things to consider when online gambling in India and deciding which payment method to use for deposits and withdrawals are among the most important.

Many things are part of the decision over what payment methods are the best to be used at sites like online casinos. The list of payment methods offered by online casino and betting site operators can also vary by a surprising amount across the internet.

What this means is that if you want to use a certain payment method to play online casino games or to bet on sport, you need to make sure it is available to be used on your chosen site.

The list of their payment and banking options should be accessible so you can check it out before committing to signing up for an account.

There are also other things to think about regarding online casino payment methods in India.

Among these are ensuring you do not break currency conversion laws, as well as how long it might take for withdrawals to be made after you have requested a payout to be made.

To help you out, we have put together this complete guide to payment methods that are accepted for online gambling in India. Read on for everything that you need to know.

Laws Around Online Gambling With Indian Rupees

Online gambling rules and regulations in India can be quite confusing. But no laws are forbidding online gambling in the country, so this is actually not really an issue at all.

One area where online gamblers in India might fall foul of the law is in currency conversion.

There are strict laws about currency conversion that players need to make sure they do not inadvertently break when playing their favourite games at the online casino.

It is, therefore, crucial to choose an online gambling site that allows players to make deposits and withdrawals in rupees, regardless of the payment method that is made.

This is the case at most of the top online casinos in India already, but it is certainly something worth being aware of when considering which site to join. 

How to Sign up for Accounts With Your Chosen Payment Method 

Deciding which payment method to use is part of the sign-up process for online casinos in India and betting sites that are available in the country.

Usually, you will need to add a payment method before being able to play, unless you are using a no deposit offer to get up and running on your chosen site.

The payment method you choose will likely have an impact on how long it takes for a withdrawal to be made, so it is worth thinking carefully about this decision.

It should only take a few minutes to complete the process of signing up for an account:

1. Fill in the sign-up form, with details like your name and date of birth 
2. Enter the email address you want to be used for correspondence 
3. Add the promotion or bonus code required for an offer, if needed 
4. Select your chosen payment method and make an initial deposit 
5. Start playing your favourite casino games or betting on sport

In some cases, it will be necessary to verify the account. This is usually done through email, with players only having to click a link sent in a message to get started with the account.

How to Deposit and Withdraw Money on Gambling Sites From India

Newcomers might find it confusing how to deposit and withdraw your money from India.

But the process should be quick and easy through using the cashier section of your chosen online casino or betting site in India.

To make a deposit, you will simply need to choose a payment method and link it to your account. For an option such as a debit card, this is as easy as entering the details from the card.

Some payment methods like an e-wallet will require you to log in to your account through the betting site or online casino in order to link them up.

Whichever method you choose, making a deposit should not take longer than a few minutes.

Unfortunately, at some of India's top betting sites and new online casinos, the process by which withdrawals are made through the cashier can be a little more complicated.

First of all, you will usually have to use the same payment method used to make a deposit. For example, if you used a particular debit card to make a deposit, you will probably have to use the same card to withdraw cash from your account. This is to prevent money laundering attempts.

Some Indian online casinos and betting sites will also require verification documents to be provided. It might be necessary to provide proof of ID for a withdrawal to be processed. Again, this is for security reasons, but it does mean there can be a long wait for withdrawals.

Best Payment Methods for Indian Betting Sites and Casinos

These are some of the best payment methods to use at Indian casinos and betting sites: 

• Neteller 
• Skrill 
• Paytm 
• PhonePe 
• UPI 
• Astrocard Pay 
• Bank transfers 
• Eazypay 
• Google Pay 
• EcoPayz 
• MuchBetter 
• Visa 
• Mastercard

Next in this guide to payment methods in India, let's look at each of them in a bit more detail.

Deposit and Withdraw Money Using Neteller

Various e-wallets are on the list of payment methods that are widely accepted for gambling in India, with Neteller among the leading options in this area. Neteller, which was founded just over 20 years ago, is owned by the same company as Skrill. Paysafe Group is a British global payments company and prepaid payment method Paysafecard is part of the same organisation.

Typically, there are no service charges involved when using Neteller for online gambling in India. This means that 100 per cent of your winnings will go into your pocket when using Neteller to withdraw funds from a casino or betting site account after enjoying a big win.

Due to the fact that Neteller has been processing online gambling payments since 2000, it is broadly considered to be one of the most reliable payment methods available in India.

With more than 25 major currencies available to use with Neteller, it is a great e-wallet to sign up for all over the world, but especially in India as rupees are included on the list. There are more than 23 million Neteller account holders worldwide, indicating how trusted this brand is now.

Speed of withdrawals is a key issue for online gambling customers in India, with Neteller excelling in this area. Most e-wallets promise rapid transactions and those who use Neteller to get their hands on their money are likely to receive almost instant withdrawals on most betting sites.

Be aware that Neteller does charge a standard fee of 1.45 per cent, when you want to move cash out of your account. Going VIP can earn a lower fee for currency transactions too.

Deposit and Withdraw Money Using Skrill

Part of the same company as Neteller, having previously been a major rival in the competitive world of e-wallets, Skrill is another good option for online gambling payments in India.

Formerly known as Moneybookers, Skrill recently announced that it has become the official global payments partner of Serie A football club AC Milan. Skrill employs more than 500 people and is considered a highly legitimate option for anyone who needs to pick a payment method to play at online casinos or betting sites in India.

There are around 40 supported currencies available to be used at Skrill and the good news for players from India is that rupees is on the list. This means there is no need to worry about falling foul of strict currency conversion rules when signing up for a gambling account with Skrill.

Like Neteller, Skrill's history as one of the top online payments companies can be traced back around 20 years. This means people should feel 100 per cent safe and secure with Skrill.

Note that when withdrawing from a Skrill account, a fee of 2.5 per cent will be charged by the e-wallet. This might make a significant difference for those fortunate enough to land a big win.

The good news is that using Skrill for withdrawing money out of a betting site or online casino in India is one of the fastest ways to get your hands on your winnings. In the majority of cases, the transaction will be processed almost instantly, which is fantastic for players.

Deposit and Withdraw Money Using Paytm

When signing up to either a betting site or an online casino, Indian players may be more comfortable using a payment company from the same country.

This could make Paytm one of the best options available as the firm is based in India, where it was founded around 10 years ago. Now one of the top Indian companies in the online finance world Paytm is available in 11 Indian languages, which is a great place to start.

Paytm is said to be worth in the region of $10 billion and the company claims that as many as seven million merchants in India are signed up to use its services. Paytm was also the first payment app in India to record more than 100 million app downloads.

It is free to use Paytm for online payments, which is one of the reasons why it is so popular. Not only is Paytm free, but it is also very user-friendly with its simplicity very appealing to Indians.

As with most of the other leading online payment providers in India, withdrawals made out of betting sites and online casino accounts to Paytm should go through within a matter of minutes.

Deposit and Withdraw Using PhonePe

Another Indian company that can be used to make payments to online casinos and betting sites in India is PhonePe. The company is newer than a lot of the other payment companies we are going to talk about in this ultimate guide as it was only founded around five years ago.

PhonePe, though, rapidly became one of the top names in its industry. With 10 Indian languages covered by PhonePe, it is used by more than 10 million offline and online merchant outlets in India. PhonePe has over 200 million users with well over five billion transactions having been made using the platform during the short history of the company so far.

Notably, PhonePe has won a lot of recognition including various prizes such as being named the winner of the SuperStarUp Asia Award in 2018 and taking the prize for Best Mobile Payment Product or Service Category at the IAMAI India Digital Awards in the same year.

Now in the top 10 most trafficked platforms according to Comscore research, PhonePe is no doubt one of the most legitimate payment methods to use for online gamblers in India.

PhonePe is a quick and simple way to move money around, with transactions made through the platform usually being processed instantly.

Deposit and Withdraw Using UPI (Net Banking)

Indians who want to reduce complications with online payments might well find it is best to select Unified Payments Interface or UPI for short.

UPI is an instant real-time payment system that is increasingly popular for moving money both into and out of online casino and betting site accounts in India.

One of the key things to point out about UPI is that the system is run by the National Payments Corporation of India, which helps to ensure it has a reputation for excellent safety and security.

UPI, which was set up just a few years ago in 2016, offers selling points such as round the clock availability and single-click authentication for its customers.

However, a drawback to using UPI to make deposits or withdrawals from betting sites and online casinos is that it is only available to those who have a bank account at a participating bank in India. Users considering signing up with UPI will therefore need to make sure that their bank is included on the list before they do so.

The speed of withdrawals that are made when using UPI is also likely to be a lot less impressive than when compared with some of the e-wallets we are mentioning. Indeed, sometimes it can take a few business days for transactions from gambling accounts to go through.

Deposit and Withdraw Using Astropay Card

Pre-paid cards are a popular way to deposit money into online casinos and betting sites in India, with Astropay Card one of the most common methods of its type in this part of the world.

Indian rupees are already backed by Astropay, which means there is no need to be worried about accidentally breaking the strict currency conversion laws that are in place in India.

Astropay Card is seen by many as being particularly handy for online gambling as a result of there being no need to disclose any personal or financial information when using the card. Deposits and withdrawals are also promised by Astropay to be processed instantly, which means that there are no confirmation delays that can slow up taking cash out of accounts.

Astrocard Pay is considered very safe, not just in India, but everywhere the method is available.

Direct Bank Transfers

Many Indians may prefer to transfer money directly in and out of their bank account when signing up at online casinos and betting sites in India. While it is often deemed safer and more secure to use an e-wallet as a go-between, there is no doubt that bank transfers are some of the easiest ways to make deposits and withdrawals from online gambling operators in India.

Bank transfers are offered by almost all betting sites and Indian online casinos, with anyone who has a bank account in the country likely to be able to use this method. This makes it one of the most accessible options for online payments in the country as it is open to almost everyone.

While it is still simple to use bank transfers, the process can sometimes take a little bit more time when compared to some of the major alternatives, such as using a top e-wallet.

In particular, withdrawals can take a longer period to clear when compared to the leading e-wallets that are in use in India right now. This might mean that players who are lucky enough to land a big win might have to wait a few more days to get their hands on the cash.

Security and stability is a big tick in the box for using bank transfers at Indian betting sites and online casinos, however. The fact that they use government-backed safety infrastructure is something that cannot be matched by a lot of the other top payment methods that are accepted.

Deposit and Withdraw Using Eazypay

Bank-run services are an increasingly popular payment method for customers who are signing up for online gambling at betting sites and casinos in India. As such, it would be remiss of us not to talk about Eazypay.

Hailed as a simple method of paying bills through a variety of payment options, Eazypay is run by ICICI Bank in India. While this means that safety and security is taken incredibly seriously, it does, unfortunately, contribute to one of the big downsides of this option as well.

To be able to use Eazypay as a way to make deposits and withdrawals at Indian online casinos and betting sites, players have to have an account with the ICICI Bank. Because Eazypay is only available to ICICI Bank customers, this rules out a large number of Indians.

Eazypay is claimed to make paying bills as easy as making a coffee, but this will only be the case if online gambling operators sign up to use the service. Compared to some of the top e-wallets that we have talked about, such as Neteller and Skrill, usage of Eazypay in India's burgeoning online gambling industry is still quite rare.

While Eazypay may grow into one of the most popular payment options, it is niche right now.

Deposit and Withdraw Using Google Pay

One of the top payment methods at online casinos and betting sites in India, at least in terms of global brand recognition, has to be Google Pay. Even though it was only launched by the technology giant a few years ago, Google Pay is already a titan of the payments industry.

Google Pay is available to use in some 30 countries around the world, including India, where it has taken over from a UPI-based app known as Tez in recent years. Google Pay is considered to be one of the most trustworthy online payments around as a result of Google's influence.

Payments made using Google Pay are processed straight away and it is one of the fastest ways to handle a withdrawal from an online casino or betting site in India. For those who value speed of withdrawal as a top-selling point of a payment method, Google Pay is a great choice.

Another key selling point of using Google Pay, compared to some of the other online payment service providers in this list, is that no fees are charged on the platform. This means people can take money out of their Google Pay account and receive 100% of the cash into their pocket, whereas other options such as Skrill take a cut to process the transaction.

Unfortunately, right now there are relatively few betting sites and Indian online casinos that allow Google Pay to be used as a payment method. The number of operators doing so is predicted to expand quickly in the coming years, but at the moment there are better alternatives out there.

Deposit and Withdraw Using EcoPayz

Although EcoPayz has its headquarters in England, its popularity as a way to process payments to and from online gambling operators in India is definitely on the rise.

The global payment solutions provider has more experience than some of the other options we have mentioned in this guide, with EcoPayz having been growing for the past two decades.

EcoPayz's history can be traced all the way back to 2000 when it was first launched as the ecoCard platform. The service has changed a lot since then, but Indians considering using it when online gambling can certainly feel assured that the company knows what it is doing.

Dozens of different currencies can be used on EcoPayz, making it an ideal choice for those who need to be able to move their money around the world. With rupees included on the list of currencies used at EcoPayz, using the service as a payment provider enables people to avoid falling foul of India's unusually strict regulations when it comes to currency conversions.

As EcoPayz is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) under the Data Protection Act 2018, users can be sure that it is a very safe and secure payment method to use.

While signing up for EcoPayz is always free, the service does charge a fee for its payments.

Deposit and Withdraw Using MuchBetter

Apps are an increasingly popular way for people in India to manage their money, with options like MuchBetter now being adopted by the country's many betting sites and online casinos.

MuchBetter - which is the trading name for MIR Limited UK - is not yet available at a large number of online gambling operators but the number of sites offering it is on the rise. It is likely to be the case that most of the top-rated Indian casinos will offer MuchBetter soon.

Due to the fact that MuchBetter is regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority, its users do not have to spend any time worrying about whether or not their money is safe and secure.

With an app that is available to be downloaded for both iOS and Android mobile devices, MuchBetter makes it simple for customers to manage their money while out and about.

Those who use a bank account to fund their MuchBetter do not have to pay any fees to do so. However, those who opt for credit and debit cards may find that a small fee is payable.

Benefits of using MuchBetter for online gambling in India include the fact that the app usually provides higher deposit acceptance rates, which is very good news indeed for its users.

There is no doubt that MuchBetter is a key online payment service provider to watch out for.

Deposit and Withdraw Using VISA 

VISA is one of the biggest payment companies in the world, which helps to make it a popular payment option when playing Indian betting sites and online casinos.

Virtually every online gambling site that can be accessed in India will have VISA on its list of approved payment options, which makes it a very strong option for those looking to sign up.

Anyone who has a bank account in India is very likely to be able to get a VISA card through their account, though the Indians who do not have a bank account may find that they cannot get it.

The American company, which processed tens of billions of transactions every single year, is a powerhouse of the online financial services industry. Since being founded more than 60 years ago VISA has continued to grow at a rapid rate and the brand is now known all over the world.

Using VISA as an online payment method for betting sites and casinos in India is quick and simple, but it might take some time for withdrawals to be processed using this method.

Various e-wallets are likely to be quicker, with VISA withdrawals sometimes taking several days. Depositing via VISA is comparatively rapid and the process should only take moments.

However, in terms of safety and security, it is hard to find a better online payment option than VISA in India. VISA's QR code payment method was first launched in India, indicating that the company has been keen to focus on the country over the course of the past few years.

VISA, which is used in 200 countries and territories worldwide, is rivalled only by Mastercard in terms of its size, scale and impact on the world of online payments in recent times.

Deposit and Withdraw Using Mastercard

The last of the payment methods we are going to talk about in this ultimate guide to payment methods that are accepted for online gambling in India is Mastercard - VISA's major rival.

A company that is traded on the New York Stock Exchange in America, Mastercard is one of the most famous payment options on the planet. Known primarily for its debit and credit cards.

Mastercard used to be known as both Interbank and Master Charge but has been operating under its current name for a long time now, with the company first founded over 50 years ago.

Revenues of more than $15 billion in 2019 show that Mastercard is a giant of the industry, which could make it easier for Indians to trust this method when playing at online casinos in India.

Mastercard is widely accepted at both betting sites and online casinos in India, but one major downside of using this method is likely to be the speed of withdrawals, which can take up to a week. This is a lot longer than some of the other recommended methods, such as e-wallets.

On the flip side, it is very hard to find an online gambling operator that does not include Mastercard on its list of payment methods. Mastercard is ubiquitous and the name recognition of the brand is virtually second to none, which helps to make sure people trust the method.

With more than 22,000 banks and financial institutions all over the world signed up to Mastercard, it is likely to be a very convenient payment method for people all over India.

It is also worth pointing out that Mastercard has been investing heavily in India over the course of the last few years. Mastercard has spent hundreds of millions of US dollars in setting up offices in Pune and Vadodara, as well as making an investment in cashless apps and technology to be offered across the country. 

Along with VISA, Mastercard is one of the most common payment methods that are widely accepted for online gambling in India, making it an obvious choice to go for.