Learning from British Bookmakers: What India Can Adopt

The rise in digital technologies continues to disrupt the betting sector across the globe, with India being one of the most attractive target markets for international bookmakers. In 2025, many countries have integrated up-to-date industry regulations, which cover all aspects. Developed states like the UK have advanced frameworks, which set standards and requirements for operators and guarantee legal protection for punters. On the contrary, India prohibits all gambling-related activities, including sports wagering, but the grey market is flourishing. What lessons should the government learn from the British experience to gain more control over the rapidly growing industry?

Robust Regulations That Boost Trust

The UK regularly updates its iGaming regulations to boost the sector’s integrity, transparency, and consumer protection. Online betting is legal in the country, but both operators and customers face multiple restrictions. The industry has a well-developed structure, with the UKGC, the main regulatory authority, controlling all its aspects. The main requirements for in-country online bookmakers include enhanced verifications, financial checks, bet limitations for users under 25, and mandatory responsible gambling tools. T

his approach to this risky entertainment is accepted nationwide, unlike in India, where individual states have the right to control the digital betting sector. The country’s government can consider the UK’s example instead of fully banning domestic bookmaker services. This decision can bring incentives in the form of taxes, at the same time preventing Indian players from joining overseas platforms.

Player Protection and Responsible Gambling Tools

The latest studies report that approximately 7.4% of Indian residents suffer from different forms of gambling addiction. As online betting is banned in the state, punters found a way out of the problem. Many users wonder is 1xBet legal in India, and the answer is “yes.” The state has no bans on offshore sites, so brands actively take advantage of this opportunity. The industry continues to evolve, and user awareness about the possible negative consequences is also growing. 

However, authorities lack viable mechanisms for providing support to those affected by compulsive habits. This drawback is primarily present, as India lacks iGaming regulations. On its side, the UK offers a comprehensive basis that can become a viable example for future industry framework:

• On-site deposit limitations and loss limits
• Time-out periods and cooling-off mechanisms
• Round-the-clock activity monitoring powered by AI
• Nationwide self-exclusion tool
• Instant access to helplines and support tools

These features help British bookmakers promote a responsible approach to betting. It’s worth noting that such requirements are mandatory for all companies operating in the jurisdiction, and non-compliance results in the platform being blocked. India can consider a similar strategy and integrate all these tools after legalizing in-country iGaming businesses. This shift will make the market less chaotic and eliminate the grey zone companies, which often operate without adherence to global responsible gambling standards.

KYC and AML Compliance

Customer verifications may be annoying for bettors, but this process is a mandatory point for ensuring transparency and safety on bookmaker websites. Online sportsbooks are obliged to protect their customers from any unauthorized intervention. At the same time, iGaming companies often become hackers’ victims, as they collect and store loads of data. In this case, user identity checks are unavoidable. This way, the operator can ensure that newcomers don’t have any criminal purposes when registering for their platforms.

Completing verifications is also essential for preventing underage access to online betting services. If a user is under 18, they are immediately blocked. This approach helps the UK’s regulatory bodies to eliminate the harmful impact of this risky entertainment on minors, and India should also focus on this point. AI technologies can conduct ID checks instantly, so appropriate advancements are necessary.

Self-Exclusion Tools

Self-exclusion is an efficient mechanism, preventing users suffering from the first symptoms of compulsive habits from all potentially harmful content. The UK has become one of the first countries to integrate a mandatory nationwide tool that covers all digital sportsbooks licensed in the jurisdiction. Although not all bettors are satisfied with this move, the program helps users recover from addictive behaviors and develop a responsible approach to online wagering. India can consider using this trick to prevent vulnerable individuals from struggling with compulsive disorders. Implementing such a tool and developing a legal basis to control the iGaming sector is complicated and costly, but this decision will eventually pay off.

Design Focused on Trust and Convenience

Modern punters don’t need complex designs with multiple elements; instead, they value simplicity. Quick access to the necessary betting markets and exclusive bonuses is the main priority. UK bookmakers strive to meet users’ needs by adding intuitive navigation and functional layouts. On the contrary, some platforms designed in India still have complex UI or slow mobile optimization. Focusing on smartphone-compatible versions is essential in 2025, as millions of Indian customers prefer to access bookmaker services on their portable devices.

Transparent Odds and Payouts

As mentioned, British bookmakers face a lot of requirements from the regulatory authority, and fairness in all aspects is the key. Users should be able to explore how odds are formed and dip into the peculiarities of their calculations. Misleading or unfair details can result in a bookmaker site’s block, so operators pay special attention to this point. All licensed UK sportsbooks guarantee payouts within the set time frames, which boosts user trust in a specific brand. India currently lacks transparency, as digital betting remains a grey zone. The country can follow the British example and gain many benefits.