How to Verify a Cricket Betting Website in India

Every IPL season, new betting sites pop up overnight, each one promising fast withdrawals, big bonuses, and 100% safe deposits. Most of them look professional. Some of them are not. Before you put real money on the table, spend ten minutes running these checks. It could save you lakhs.

A quick legal note first: India passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act PROGA in 2025, which bans real-money online gaming platforms that are not registered under Indian law. MeitY has issued over 1,524 blocking orders against illegal betting sites between 2022 and June 2025, according to a July 2025 Lok Sabha statement. Betting and gambling laws also vary by state. Before using any platform, check whether it is accessible and permissible in your state.

Why This Matters More Than You Think

Between January and June 2024 alone, Indians lost over Rs 11,269 crore to cyber fraud, with a significant portion linked to online gaming and betting scams, according to India’s Cyber Crime Coordination Centre I4C. In one documented case, an auto-rickshaw driver lost Rs 20 lakh through a fake cricket fantasy app. Another person lost Rs 75 lakh to an online betting site that looked entirely legitimate.

These are not careless people. They were misled by sites that copied the look of real platforms, displayed fake licence badges, and paid out small amounts early to build trust. By the time they refused withdrawals, it was too late.

The checks below are not complicated. They take about ten to fifteen minutes, and they work.

How to Verify a Cricket Betting Website Step by Step

Step 1: Check the Licence Number, Not Just the Logo

Any credible betting site will display a licence badge in the footer. The two regulators you will most often see for sites targeting India are the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and the Curacao Gaming Authority (CGA).

Here is the part most people skip the logo on a website means nothing by itself. Scam sites copy and paste these logos freely. What you need to check is the actual licence number.

For MGA licences, go to mga.org.mt and search the operator’s name or licence code in the public register.
For Curacao licences, visit cga.cw and use the registry to confirm the operator is listed.

If the number on the site does not appear in the regulator’s database, walk away. The Curacao Gaming Authority itself has publicly warned players about sites that paste their logo without holding a valid licence.

When a site claims to be licensed in India, that claim deserves extra scrutiny. India does not yet have a national gambling regulator, so any site saying it holds an Indian licence is likely referring to a local intermediary arrangement, not a government-issued permit.

Step 2: Look Up the Domain Age

A site launched last month claiming to have served Indian bettors since 2019 is lying. You can verify this in under two minutes.

Go to whois.domaintools.com or simply type the site’s URL into a WHOIS lookup tool. This shows you when the domain was registered. A brand-new domain combined with bold trust claims is one of the clearest warning signs of a fraudulent operation.

Separately, check whether the URL in your browser shows HTTPS the padlock icon. This does not guarantee safety on its own, but a site that still runs on plain HTTP in 2026 has no reason for you to trust it with your financial details.

Step 3: Read the Withdrawal Terms, Not the Bonus Terms

Scam sites attract users with bonuses and trip them at withdrawal. Before registering, find the withdrawals section of the terms and conditions. Look for three things:

The minimum and maximum withdrawal amount per transaction
The number of days the site claims to process a withdrawal
Whether there are any fees or requirements linked to bonus money before you can withdraw

A legitimate platform will state these clearly and consistently. If the terms are hidden behind vague language, or if the FAQ says something different from the main terms page, that inconsistency is a red flag. You should also check a couple of independent review forums to see if users report delays or refused withdrawals.

Step 4: Test Customer Support Before You Deposit

Send a simple question to the support team What is the minimum deposit amount? or How do I verify my account? This test costs nothing. What you are checking is whether a real person responds, how long it takes, and whether the answer matches what the site says publicly.

Sites that operate only through WhatsApp numbers, Telegram groups, or informal agents are high risk. Legitimate platforms have email support, live chat, or a registered helpline. If the only contact option is a mobile number that directs you to a chat app, treat that as a warning.

Step 5: Search for Complaints, Not Just Reviews

Affiliate review sites earn money when you sign up. Their ratings are not neutral. Instead, search the site’s name alongside words like withdrawal problem, scam, or fraud on Google. Also check forums like Reddit India, Quora, and consumer complaint sites.

You are looking for a pattern, not a single bad review. Every platform gets occasional complaints. What you want to avoid is a site where dozens of users report the same problem typically, blocked withdrawals after a winning streak or sudden account suspension before a big payout.

Once you’re confident a platform meets your checks, completing a lotus365 signup takes just a few minutes, as the process is straightforward on reputable sites.

Step 6: Verify UPI and Payment Security

Indian users almost always deposit via UPI, net banking, or wallets. A legitimate site will route payments through a registered payment gateway. Before you deposit, check:

Does the payment go through a named gateway Razorpay, CCAvenue, PayU, or similar, or does it ask you to send money to a personal UPI ID?
Is there a clear transaction record you can refer to?

Sending money to a personal UPI ID is never normal for a legitimate business. That single step is how many users in India have been defrauded. After your checks are done, a straightforward process like the lotus365 login page should reflect consistent branding, a secure URL, and no unusual requests for personal information beyond your registered credentials.

Quick Red Flag Reference Table

Warning sign	What it likely means
No licence number, only a logo	Copied badge, unverified claim
Domain registered within last 6 months	New site making old claims
Withdrawals go to a personal UPI ID	High risk of fraud
Bonus terms longer than 10 pages, no clear exit	Designed to trap winnings
Support only via WhatsApp or Telegram	No accountability
HTTP URL no padlock	Basic security not in place
Promises of guaranteed returns on bets	Not how betting works

FAQs

Betting and gambling fall under state jurisdiction in India. Most states prohibit or do not explicitly regulate sports betting. The PROGA 2025 bans unregistered online money gaming platforms at the national level. Sikkim and Goa have their own frameworks for physical gambling. Before using any platform, check the laws applicable in your state and consult a legal professional if needed.

Find the licence number in the site’s footer or terms page. Then go directly to the regulator’s official website. For MGA licences, use the public register at mga.org.mt. For Curacao licences, use cga.cw. Type in the number or operator name and verify that the details match. A logo alone is not proof of a valid licence.

File a complaint immediately on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in or call the helpline number 1930. Report the UPI transaction through your bank’s fraud team. Do not pay any processing fee that the site asks for to release your funds; this is a secondary scam.

No. Accepting UPI only means the site has set up a payment method. Fraudulent sites also use UPI, sometimes directing payments to personal accounts rather than business payment gateways. Always verify whether the payment goes through a named, registered payment aggregator.

Most licensed international betting platforms set a minimum age of 18. Indian law also restricts minors from gambling. Do not use these platforms if you are under 18, and be aware that addiction to betting is a documented risk at any age. If you or someone you know shows signs of compulsive betting, contact iCall (iCall.tiss.edu) for support.