How to promote Betting in India

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India occupies the greater part of South Asia. Most people associate it with Goa and Bollywood, elephants and yoga, Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi. But a skilled webmaster considers this geo as a country with a huge territory and population, a progressive economy and, at the same time, a solvent audience. These factors make India one of the top geos for generating betting traffic.

According to the latest Digital 2024: India report, the country is witnessing significant growth in the digital sector. The aforementioned factors create unique monetization opportunities. Given India’s population of over 1.4 billion, the market has virtually infinite potential. How to make the most of it and what features should a webmaster consider? Let’s find out in today’s article with 888STARZ Partners team!

India trends: internet, population, economy, language

First of all, it is worth paying tribute to the fact that India has grown significantly in terms of internet penetration. In 2024, the overall rate is expected to reach 52.4%, up from 33.7% just five years prior, according to a recent summary from Statista

In the meantime, India’s population in 2024 will be 1,441,719,852, an increase of 0.92% from 2023 (according to MacroTrends)

Here are some other notable statistics from the analytical resource Digital to round out the picture:

  • Internet users: 

The number of internet users in India continues to grow and now exceeds 750 million. This represents approximately 52% of the total country population.

  • Social media: 

More than 462 million people are actively using social media. WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube remain the most visited platforms.

  • Mobile devices: 

Nearly 1.1 billion people use smartphones and tablets, creating a loyal mobile marketing environment.

The next key point besides demographic and technological advancement is the country’s economy. According to Forbes India, India is in the top 5 in terms of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) at $3.94 billion, beating out successful geos like the UK and France — $3.5 billion and $3.13 billion, respectively.

Source: Statista

Another important feature of the India region is the language factor. In addition to Hindi and about 2 thousand different dialects, the target audience knows English. According to recent research by TheHistoryOfEnglish, 128.5 million people in India understand or speak English well. Obviously, with the gradual digitalization and expansion of internet connectivity, the percentage will only increase. 

The average age of India’s population is 28 years old (a ratio of 51% males to 49% females). According to MyBetting recent research, young people are much more likely to make bets on sport than older ones. Of all Indian bettors, 44.6% are between the ages of 18 and 24, and 32.5% are between the ages of 25 and 34. 

Source: MyBetting

In addition to paying in Indian rupees (INR), US dollars are commonly used by Indians. That’s why this is one of the best advertising choices in Asia when it comes to payments.

Many locals play at online casinos in the hope of becoming rich. Moreover, the nation has a well-established betting market. For example, Indians are passionate cricket enthusiasts who are ready to wager on their favorite teams. Here it’s not just a sport, but a cause for national pride. According to the India Change Forum, about 340 million people in India bet on cricket.

A great alternative to cricket is soccer and kabaddi, which is also gaining momentum among local bettors. They are placed second and third in terms of popularity, according to a recent study by Ormax Media:

  • Cricket — 612 million fans.
  • Soccer — 305 million.
  • Kabaddi — 280 million.

To complete ourl overview, we only need to take a quick look at the legal framework. In India, sports betting is regulated by the Public Gambling Act of 1867. It strictly prohibits opening, visiting and operating casinos or other gambling websites. However, the Act does not specifically mention online betting.

Now let’s move on to state laws. The country consists of many states — each of them may have its own special laws. For example, in Goa and Sikkim, gambling is allowed in some forms, while in other states it is strictly prohibited. Thankfully, there’s  a solution — offshore betting websites. In 2023, the turnover from unathorized betting in the region amounted to $2.5 billion (data from The Economic Times report). The peak season for online betting in India falls on the Indian Premier League (IPL), which usually runs from March to May every year.

Why is it worth running Betting ads in India?

India stands out from other regions because to its sizable market (world’s #1 population), rapid digitization, and stable internet penetration. Also when we talk about this geo, we can not fail to mention country’ strong solvency, huge number of English-speaking consumers, and increasing percentage of mobile users. What else should be considered while promoting betting in India? The following are some of the main benefits:

  1. A large internet market

According to the Exploding Topics, India is the second after China in terms of the number of internet users (1.412 billion vs. 1.408 billion, accordingly). With each year these figures are constantly growing, which opens up great opportunities for affiliate marketing.

  1. Inexpensive traffic

The cost of driving betting traffic in India is much lower than in many other geos. This makes it an attractive market for those who want to maximize ROI with relatively low investments.

  1. Growing purchasing power

India’s middle class is growing, which increases the demand for various goods and services. This creates new opportunities for conversions in various verticals, particularly Betting and Gambling.

  1. Low competition

The Indian market is less saturated than Tier 1 markets. This gives webmasters more opportunities to capture large audiences and the ability to test different strategies at a lower cost.

  1. Predominance of mobile users

Mobile advertising is more effective in India since a significant number of the country’s internet users. Mobile platforms and apps drive greater audience engagement due to their convenience and accessibility.

To make conversions, it’s important for a webmaster to take into account local peculiarities, including language, cultural aspects and audience behavior.

Best traffic sources for iGaming ads in India

For webmasters to succeed in the Indian market, they need consider the following traffic sources:

First thing to look out for is Facebook. AXIS My India performed a consumer mood poll in January 2023, which found that 35% of Indians use Facebook as their main platform, along with its related app Instagram.

It is followed by Meta’s sister company WhatsApp, another promising channel for attracting traffic. According to Statista, nearly 800 million people in India will be using WhatsApp by 2025. These social networks allow targeted advertising campaigns to reach a wide audience.

The main platform for this type of advertising is Google Ads. This tool enables betting sites to display their advertisements to customers in response to earlier searches made for the same goods or services. This indicates that the ads show up when a user has already expressed interest in a particular subject.

The PPC-approach significantly increases the probability of clicking on the offer and, consequently, traffic conversion. Google, in turn, is the most visited website among Indians — according to SemRush, it is visited by 9.78 billion people per month. The second place goes to YouTube — 5.66 billion.

With increased digitalization, the role of mobile apps cannot be overemphasized. To engage users, webmasters and marketers are applying various strategies. One of the key approaches is App Store Optimization (ASO), which involves improving an app’s visibility in the App Store and Play Market. This is achieved by working with metadata: title, description, keywords and reviews. Betting offers on social media also play an important role, helping to attract new users through targeted ad campaigns.

Push notifications, on the other hand, represent small banners that are shown to online users. Their main benefit is that such notifications cannot be ignored. Also here a webmaster can get an inexpensive source of traffic, where cloaking is not required. Its large demographic target has the drawback that you can only set it up for age and gender, leaving you to rely entirely on chance.

The main goal of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is to improve the visibility of a website in search engine results. This is achieved by optimizing content, site structure and using relevant keywords. Important aspects of SEO include quality content that solves users’ problems and answers their queries.

In addition, backlink building and technical site optimization that enhances loading speed and mobile friendliness raise the site’s authority in search engine rankings. According to Statista, the most visited search engines in India include Google (86% of queries), Yahoo (8%) and Bing (6%).

YouTube is India’s second most visited online resource, standing head and shoulders above the rest of other traffic sources. With its huge user base and diverse content, YouTube offers companies and content creators the opportunity to reach a wide and targeted audience through video content. It can include tutorials, product reviews, entertaining videos and webinars, which helps to attract and retain the attention of users.

YouTube advertising campaigns, such as pre-rolls and mid-video ads, help increase brand awareness. Furthermore, YouTube is the greatest choice for managing influencer traffic, as it makes sense to combine advertising with regional bloggers to boost leads and conversions.

Top creatives of betting ads for affiliate marketing

Most Indian people love minimalism. A bull’s-eye is when they see a quick transition from poverty to wealth. The possible number of conversions from the ad campaign increases with the variety of sudden enrichment effects. 

Here’s the main information about best possible creatives for betting ad campaigns:

Static creatives

Static creatives are advertising materials that use still pictures (JPEG or PNG format). Unlike animated or video creatives, they represent a picture or logo with a call to action that encourages bettors to click on the offer. To successfully capture the attention of audiences in India, it’s important to use headlines and descriptions that are as relevant to the interests and needs of local residents. Here are some examples:

A clear and urgent call to action (CTA) should be always included in the caption. For instance:

  • “Sign up now”.
  • “Bet and win”.
  • “Get a bonus”.

Banners

For effective banners it’s crucial to choose images that resonate with the cultural sensibilities and preferences of the Indian audience. Use bright and eye-catching colors associated with popular sports like cricket, soccer, kabaddi, etc. Also consider match schedules and don’t forget to add images of famous athletes at times — this increases trust and interest. 

Basic criteria for successful banners:

  • Bright and contrasting design.
  • Clear and catchy headlines.
  • Images that evoke emotions and associations with victory.
Try combining both languages to reach an even larger audience

Here we see a banner example with an image of a local cricket star. Such kind of content draws the attention of players, motivating them to place a bet here

Video creatives

Video creatives should be dynamic and colorful to hold the viewer’s attention from the first seconds. It’s important to emphasize the emotional component — the excitement of the game and the joy of winning. Use local music, recognizable images and short but brief messages.

A video that captures your favorite team’s victory moment and includes a mobile application bet placed by the viewer at the end is a terrific choice for a very effective creative. This type of video shoot effectively evokes emotions and prompts action, as the user associates himself with a winner.

Main peculiarities before promoting Betting in India

Today we have reviewed in detail various points related to local peculiarities and trends, suitable traffic sources, optimal creatives for Indian audience. Finally, let’s highlight the main features that the affiliate should to take into account before launching betting ad campaign for the Indian market:

  1. Payment peculiarities.
    Dollars are willingly accepted in India, but the local audience has its own specific payments. Many prefer payment systems such as Paytm, PhonePe and UPI. Optimizing the payment process for these services can significantly increase conversions in this geo.
  2. Nationality.
    Using images of people with a distinctly Indian appearance in banners and creatives will yield much better results. It helps establish trust and resonate with the target audience. However, it is crucial not to overuse stereotypes. Creatives based on cliched perceptions of Indians can trigger negative reactions and reduce the effectiveness of the ad campaign.
  3. Language barriers.
    Although Hindi is the official language of India, many residents, especially those who have a higher education, understand or speak English. Because of this, it is advised to provide content in Hindi for viewers with lower incomes and in English for those with higher incomes. It is also better to use local languages for certain regions to increase conversion rates. 
  4. Holidays.
    Holidays and entertainment are two things that Indians adore. Emphasizing fun in creatives can significantly increase their appeal. This approach helps the audience take their minds off their everyday problems. Even in case of a loss, an Indian player is likely to continue betting as his religious beliefs do not welcome discouragement due to failure.
  5. Bonus system.
    Bonus related offers work particularly well in this geo. This applies not only to online Betting and casinos in India, but also to other iGaming areas. It is important that bonus offers are made available to a wide audience. This approach helps to attract more users and increase conversion rates.

If there’s a lack of ideas for engaging gambling and betting audiences, check out spy tools — programs that allow you to study and learn from competitors’ successful strategies. Services like AdPlexity, SpyPush, AdBeat, Similarweb and AdSpy can help to find the most effective creatives used by other webmasters for geo India and adapt them for your needs. Use them to quickly create ads with maximum impact and attract more users to your betting offer.

Conclusion

India is an extremely promising geo for affiliate marketing due to its large audience, loyal legal framework, low advertising costs and growing purchasing power. However, successful online betting requires an understanding of the market, localization of content and selection of an appropriate offer.

The high potential of the Indian market attracts a lot of webmasters, which inevitably leads to increased competition. Under these circumstances, you must be well-prepared because nobody can ensure that your advertising effort will be successful. In addition to the aforementioned criterias, it largely depends on the right choice of an affiliate program. 

At 888STARZ Partners, we offer webmasters all the necessary tools to drive betting traffic to India. Don’t miss the unique opportunity to become a part of the growing Indian market — contact us now if you want to get a top betting offer!