Is Sports betting legal in Asia?
Wagering on sports has been part of Asian culture for ages. However, there has been an overhaul in the whole betting scene from early days on betting on cock fights and gladiator fights to present time where online players are engaging in online betting from the comfort of their phones or homes.
Based on further developments of matters to do with sports betting, different modalities and habits have emerged in various markets across the globe. National and offshore sports betting providers in various markets are faced with the challenge of adapting their offerings, products, and their marketing to some markets.
One such area where matters to do with the legality of online sports betting is in Asia. The Asian-pacific market is one of the largest gambling markets in the globe. In fact, the continent is home to more than 4.5 billion people, with many cultures in the continent attracting more and more different sporting events.
However, the laws that revolve around sports betting in this part of the world vary drastically from one jurisdiction to the next. As things stand as of now, it is currently legal to engage in online sports betting is some countries across this region, but strictly forbidden in other countries. For instance, some of the most active nations where you would want to bet in Asia are Cambodia, Japan, Thailand, China, and Vietnam.
Another region that has seen tremendous growth in betting (especially cricket and football betting) is India. Even though gambling is tightly regulated in India, more and more Indians seem to embrace gambling. In the recent years, the Asian view of sports betting seems to be slowly beginning to change, meaning that more forms of sports betting will continue to be witnessed in the years to follow.
Today, Asia is home to of the top bookies, home millions of punters across the region. The following is a list of some of the best Asian bookmakers in 2022 that our sportsbooks review experts would recommend. They offer some of the best odds around, offer plenty of betting options such as Asian handicap betting, exceptional customer support, player safety and security, and plenty of payment methods, to mention but a few:
1xBet
1XBET is one of the best bookies operating in several countries in Asia. Plenty of players in this part of the world find 1XBET their ideal online sports betting site due to several reasons. For instance, they offer some of the best odds in the English Premier League, supports payment via cryptocurrencies, and have a native mobile app ideal of iOS and Android devices.
188BET
188BET is one of those Asian bookmakers with some of the best offers around. Players with an account here stand to benefit from weekly deposit bonuses, a huge range of payment methods, and several betting markets to choose from. 188BET is also one of those sportsbooks with solid virtual sports, for those who prefer wagering on such sports.
22Bet
22BET is another excellent bookmaker loved by plenty of sports betting enthusiasts in Asia. 22BET is a sports wagering site that has been around since 2017. Even though they are based in Cyprus, 22BET has one of its largest customer base in Asian countries. They score high when it comes to competitive odds, swift payouts, betting markets, and a pleasing range of promotions.
Dafabet
Dafabet are without a doubt one of the most well-known Asian brands. Dafabet is one of the most amazing bookies that opened its doors for business in 2004 and could be considered a pioneering bookie in this region. It’s one of those recognizable brands, especially in the UK as they sponsor a number of football clubs in the UK such as Aston Villa, Norwich, Celtic, and Everton to name but a few.
W88
Another top bookie that is well accepted across Asian countries is W88. UK football is highly popular in this part of the world, and the English Premier League in particular. W88 is one of those logos that has seen a majority of EPL shirts, to include those worn by Wolverhampton Wanderers and Crystal Palace. In Asia, the W88 site is highly popular and one of the best Asian bookies.
How to Choose a Betting Site in Asia
If you are a resident of Asia and looking to explore excellent bookies in this part of the world, you can be very sure that your options will be many. You’ll find a plethora of different sportsbooks that will allow you to place bets on the outcome of sports on their platform.
But how do you go about choosing an ideal sports betting site here? What are some of the things that you need to consider? Everything is simple than you may imagine. Below are some of the most important things that you need to consider when choosing the best Asian bookie:
Market Selection and Odds
Have you factored in what your potential betting sites offer. How good are their betting markets and odds? Can you wager on a massive range of sports at some of the best odds possible? Luckily enough, when it comes to popular sports such as football and basketball, you are sure to find plenty of betting of markets to wager on at Asian bookies.
When it comes to sports betting, you need to consider the odds –Hong Kong odds, decimal, American etc. - on offer. Besides their format, you need to ensure that they are attractive too. This way, you have a chance of increasing your bankroll if you get lucky.
When betting at Asian betting sites, you need to be have a clear understanding about the odds in this part of the world. Chances are that you’ve heard of Asian handicap betting, right? This is a type of sports betting with its origins in Asia, mostly used in soccer betting.
Handicap means that one of the teams playing has a virtual advantage or lead over the other one. This is a type of betting that eliminates the draw, leaving only two possible outcomes. In handicap betting, the odds may appear as -0.25 or +0.25.
For example, let’s assume that you are betting on Asian Handicap of 0.0. Now, assuming that you are betting for Arsenal with odds of 1.90, and are set to play Liverpool whose odds stand at 1.95. If Arsenal wins, you bet wins. If the result is a draw, you get a refund of your stake. And if Liverpool loses, you lose the bet.
User Interface
Besides the odds, you need to give a closer look at their betting interface. You need to do this before placing your initial bet on a bookie of your choice. Before making any deposit on the platform, you may first want to go ahead and create an account for free to test-run the site. This will enable you find ideal bookies where to play. Navigation needs to be easy and finding what you are looking for fast in Asian betting sites of your choice.
Mobile App
Other must-haves that you need to consider before signing up include the confirmation of whether your Asian bookie has a dedicated mobile app that you can use to wager while on the move. How responsive is the app? Does it load faster? You need to be able to download their app with ease, log into your account, place bets, contact the support department or initiate withdrawals without too much of a hassle.
Payment Methods for Bets
Asian countries score high when it comes to supporting plenty of payment options for those who wish to wager on sports. Most of Asian betting sites are secure and reliable when it comes to making fast deposits and withdrawals in them. Some of the top Asian bookmakers support the following payment methods:
- VISA
- MasterCard
- Cryptocurrencies
- Bank Transfer
- Skrill
- Neteller
- RAPID TRANSFER
- EcoPayz
- Jeton
- MuchBetter
- CashtoCode
- AstroPay
Do I Need to pay tax on winnings?
You may have to pay taxes if you live in Asian nations where the law charges taxes from winnings accrued from gambling. It happens like this: there are those jurisdictions where the gambling establishments are responsible for paying taxes. In others, while it’s the individual who has to pay taxes on their winnings. Some of the top Asian countries where players’ winnings from gambling get taxable by the state include Japan, India, Korea, and Cambodia.
Blacklist of Asia Betting Sites
Not all sportsbooks that operate in Asia are legit. Some of them are in business to reap you off.. Some of the shady ones previously reported for not honoring bets include the following:
- 105
- Alliance
- Bet33
- Paradise Bet
- BetOnline247
- Bet1128
- 21k
- Bodugi
- Canbet
- Getwin
- Mobibet
From how old can you bet on sports in Asia?
A majority of Asian countries requires bettors to be at least 21 years of age, should they wish to engage in sports betting. 21 years is the legal age of gambling in a majority of these countries. Upon registration, most bookies in Asia will mostly request to see players’ ID and bank statement to prove that they can engage in sports betting.
FAQs
What are some of the ideal bookies in Asian states?
There are plenty of them in business. However, some of the best ones include W88, 22BET, Dafabet, 1XBET, and 188BET.
Can I be persecuted for placing sports bets in Asia?
It depends. There are those jurisdictions where wagering on sports is illegal, while others allow its citizens to engage in sports betting. Also state by state laws differ, in some India states it is legal to bet while others it is illegal.
Can I wager on sports if I am under 18 years of age in Asian countries?
Again, it depends on your country of residence in this part of the world. Most of the states that permit wagering put 21 years of age as the legal age of gambling.
