Every new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) brings more buzz about the growing fantasy sports industry. Over the past decade, the industry has seen massive growth, and the fantasy sports segment in India in particular has a huge base of 150 million users and 200+ Indian operator companies.
For ipl 2023 seasonMarket research firm RedSeer Strategy Consultants predicts that the fantasy sports segment is expected to grow in the range of 30-35% 2,900-3,100 crores. Lower data costs and increasing penetration of smartphones have played a significant role in furthering the reach of fantasy sports.
With such a huge base, many users doubt the legality of playing fantasy cricket in India. As our country has very strict, restrictive laws against gambling, it is natural that some people may consider fantasy sports to be a part of gambling or betting.
Some have approached the courts claiming that fantasy sports is basically betting and the practice should be banned and regulated.
What does the law say in the matter?
According to Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution of India, a game of skill where players must use their expertise, talent, knowledge and strategies to analyse, think and develop techniques to win, a legal activity Is.
Victory is possible through judgment and analysis, not just luck. As a result, fantasy cricket comes under the purview of a game of skill where players are required to use their expertise and knowledge of the game to form a fantasy team.
The issue has also been decided by Indian courts and in February 2020, the Rajasthan High Court termed fantasy sports as a ‘game of skill’, striking down the offenses of betting and gambling.
In August 2021, the Supreme Court upheld the legality of fantasy sports because it requires considerable skill and judgment.
Games of Skill vs Games of Chance:
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has also acknowledged the distinction between ‘games of skill’ and ‘games of chance’. When the outcome of a game is determined primarily by skill, it is a game of skill, whereas when the outcome is determined primarily by chance, it is a game of chance.
Therefore, fantasy sports is a legal business in India and does not come under the Public Gambling Act of 1867. according to the Federation of indian fantasy sports (FIFS) – the country’s first and only self-regulatory sports gaming industry body, games of skill are excluded from the definition of most gambling laws and are therefore legal to play.
catch all sports news And updates on Live Mint. download mint news app to receive daily market update And live business news,