Kolkata, previously known as Calcutta, is a vibrant Indian city known for its art galleries and cultural festivals. That said, Kolkata is also a major player in Indian sports, with the Kolkata Knight Riders one of the 8 teams in the Indian Premier League, and two teams taking part in Indian Super League football.
In addition to these top level professional sports teams, the city is also home to the Calcutta Football League, which is the oldest professional football league in Asia. With plenty of high end sports in the city, it’s no surprise that sports betting has become a major part of Kolkata culture.
In fact, India as a whole has seen sports betting boom over the past several years with it now estimated that India accounts for 4% of the total global betting market.
Best Betting Site for Kolkata Residents
BetOnline.ag is our top rated betting site for Kolkata residents. BetOnline is an international sportsbook that accepts players from India.
BetOnline offers a huge variety of betting options for popular Indian sports and leagues.
Is Sports Betting Legal in Kolkata?
This is a tricky question because online sports betting somewhat of a legal grey area in India.
#1. Operating a Sportsbook
It’s not legal to own or operate a bookmaking service within India. The Public Gaming Act of 1867 is still in effect, which makes it illegal to take bets within the country.
#2. Placing Bets Online
While technically it’s also illegal to place bets in India, placing bets through sportsbooks located and regulated outside of India doesn’t seem to be punishable.
It’s estimated that around 40% of Indian residents have placed bets online and there haven’t been any documented cases of punishment as long as the bets are placed with bookies outside of the country.
As I mentioned above, BetOnline.ag, which is a sportsbook licensed and regulated in Panama accepts Indian players without issue.
Offline Sports Betting in Kolkata
Like I said above, it’s not legal to take sports bets within India. That said, horse race betting is one of the few gambling activities that have been exempt from the Public Gaming Act, making it possible to bet on horses at tracks around India.
Kolkata has one of the oldest and most prestigious tracks in India where you can bet at least once a week for most of the year.
Royal Calcutta Turf Club
The Royal Calcutta Turf Club is located in the heart of Kolkata. It is a beautiful grass racetrack that has races on Saturday’s during racing season. The Monsoon meet runs from July to October and the Winter Meet runs from November through March.
You can place bets at the race track for all live races.
Professional Sports Teams in Kolkata
- Kolkata Knight Riders (Cricket – IPL)
- East Bengal F.C. (Football – ISL)
- Mohun Bagan A.C. (Football – ISL)
- Bengal Warriors (Kabaddi – PKL)
Sports Leagues
- Calcutta Football League