Cricket betting has evolved into a multi-billion-dollar industry, with its legal status varying dramatically across nations. The United Kingdom stands out with the most comprehensive and regulated betting framework, governed by the UK Gambling Commission since 2005. Their system proves that when done right, legal betting can generate massive tax revenues while keeping fans safe and the game clean.
So why isn’t cricket betting legal everywhere? The answer lies in a complex, genuine fear about corruption. Some nations worry that legalizing betting opens the door to match-fixing scandals and gambling addiction.
However, countries that have embraced legalization counter these concerns through stringent regulatory frameworks, mandatory licensing for operators, regular audits, age verification systems, responsible gambling tools like deposit limits and self-exclusion programs, and partnerships with sports bodies to monitor suspicious betting patterns.
Let’s take a look at the countries where cricket betting is legal in this blog.
Cricket betting legal Countries
| Country | Betting Legality | Popular Platforms | Country Betting Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | Legal and regulated | Bet365, Betway, William Hill | Live streaming, player props, £2-£5 stake limits |
| Australia | Legal with restrictions | Sportsbet, Neds, TAB | Same-game multis, 200+ markets/match |
| New Zealand | Legal and regulated | TAB, Bet365, 22Bet | Fixed-odds, Super Smash streams |
| South Africa | Legal with strict regulations | Betway, Hollywoodbets, Betfred | In-play betting, bet builders |
| Sri Lanka | Legal since 2010 | 22Bet, 1xBet, 10Cric | Crypto payments, SLC T20 bonuses |
| Canada | Legal since 2021 (single-game) | bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings | Same-game parlays, provincial apps |
| United States | Legal in many states (varies) | DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM | Same-game parlays, app boosts |
| Mexico | Legal and widely accessible | Caliente, Codere, Bet365 | Crypto deposits, MXN support |
1. England
Cricket betting in England is fully legal and tightly regulated by the UK Gambling Commission under the Gambling Act 2005, which replaced informal pub wagers from centuries past with licensed oversight to curb crime and ensure fairness. Popular sites include Bet365, Betway, and William Hill, offering markets on Test matches, ODIs, and IPL with live streaming and boosts.
Key features encompass competitive odds, player props like top batsman, responsible tools like £2-£5 online slots stake limits (2025 update), and 18+ age verification. The remote betting sector generated £2.48 billion in gross gambling yield in 2025, with sports betting at a £4.21 billion market size and 9% population participation.
2. Australia
Australia’s cricket betting framework thrives under the 2001 Interactive Gambling Act (IGA), allowing licensed sports wagering despite banning unlicensed online casinos, building on 1983 TAB legalization with state-federal coordination via bodies like the NT Racing Commission.
Popular platforms Sportsbet (market leader), Neds, and TAB deliver same-game multis, live streaming, and tailored AFL/NRL/cricket promotions. Top features encompass 200+ markets per match, 24/7 mobile apps, social Bet with Mates options, and robust self-exclusion safeguards. The sector recorded AUD 8.32 billion turnover in 2025, eyeing AUD 61.27 billion by 2035 via 22.1% CAGR growth.
3. New Zealand
Under the Gambling Act 2003, New Zealand permits cricket betting through licensed channels, modernizing laws from the 1977 Lotteries Act and expanding the 1951 TAB monopoly, which controlled 87% of 1987 gambling revenue, to embrace cricket odds and multisport markets by the 1990s.
TAB NZ dominates as the primary regulated site, joined by offshore favorites like Bet365 and 22Bet for 18+ bettors under strict harm prevention measures. Standout features cover fixed-odds options, live Super Smash and international streams, same-game multis, and self-exclusion safeguards. Sports betting produced US$516.43 million in 2025 revenue, part of a US$2.89 billion gambling sector with 46.3% adult engagement.
4. South Africa
Cricket betting in South Africa is legal under the National Gambling Act 2004 and 2007 Consumer Protection Act, liberalizing apartheid-era bans from the 1965 Gambling Act, with the National Gambling Board overseeing 38 land-based and online licensees post-2010 reforms allowing interactive sports wagering.
Popular sites include Betway (market leader), Hollywoodbets, and Betfred, popular for Proteas and IPL action with 18+ verification. Best features: live in-play betting, bet builders, cash-out options, and localized promos like free bets. The online sports betting market reached Rs 46 billion (US$360m) gross revenue in 2023, projected at 9.6% CAGR to 2030 amid 70% smartphone penetration driving growth.
5. Shri Lanka
Cricket betting in Sri Lanka became legal in 2010 via the Casino Business Act, shifting from prior outright bans and introducing regulations for bookmakers with annual levies up to 3 million rupees for live telecast agents, though online remains a grey area, favoring international operators amid no dedicated authority.
Popular sites include 22Bet, 1xBet, Melbet, Bet365, and 10Cric, excelling in IPL and SLC T20 markets for local fans. Best features: competitive odds, live betting, crypto payments, fast withdrawals, and cricket-specific bonuses. The iGaming market stood at $293.93 million in 2020, projected to reach $410.04 million by 2026 at a 5.24% CAGR, with 2024 gaming tax revenue at $98.32 million.
6. Canada
Since single-event sports betting legalized cricket wagering across Canada via Bill C-218, effective August 27, 2021, provinces regulate independently, ending the pre-1985 Criminal Code parlay-only era that funneled $14 billion yearly to black markets. Popular sites include bet365 (70+ Ontario operators), BetMGM, DraftKings, and provincial PlayNow (BC) or PlayAlberta, with Ontario’s iGaming booming.
Best features: live cricket streams, player props, same-game parlays, and geo-fenced apps for 19+ users. Ontario hit $7.56 billion handle in July 2025 (24% YoY growth), with national sports betting revenue at US$2.29 billion in 2025 and $311 million GGR that month.
7. United States
Following the May 14, 2018, Supreme Court ruling striking down the 1992 PASPA in a 6-3 Murphy v. NCAA decision, US states gained autonomy to legalize sports betting, expanding from Nevada’s pre-2018 monopoly to 38 states plus DC by 2026, with cricket available where permitted.
Popular sites include DraftKings, FanDuel (4.9/5 iOS rating), BetMGM, Caesars, and bet365, offering IPL and international markets. Best features: live betting, same-game parlays, player props, and app-exclusive boosts for 21+ users. Legal sportsbooks generated $46.6 billion in revenue on $535 billion in handle in 2025 (8.7% hold), with May alone at $1.28 billion in revenue.
8. Mexico
Regulated by SEGOB since the 1947 Federal Gaming and Raffles Law, Mexico’s cricket betting scene legalized land-based operations in 1947 with 38 licenses issued, embracing online in 2014 amid 2025 reforms modernizing outdated rules for transparency and illicit curbs. Dominant sites Caliente (65.7% recognition), Codere, and Bet365 offer IPL and international odds with MXN support.
Best features: live soccer/cricket streams, cash-out, crypto deposits, and mobile apps. Sports betting revenue projects US$2.26 billion in 2025, within US$11.47 billion gambling market at an 11.9% CAGR to US$3.65 billion in sports by 2030.
Non-Cricket Playing Countries Involved In Cricket Betting
Non-cricket nations like Canada and the US have embraced cricket betting post-legalization, fueling market surges. Canada’s sports betting hit USD 4.1 billion in 2024 after 2021 single-game reforms, growing at 13.6% CAGR to USD 8.76 billion by 2030, with cricket-specific wagering at USD 14.45 billion in 2024 eyeing USD 36.24 billion by 2033 (10.78% CAGR). The US, post-2018 PASPA repeal, generated $46.6 billion in revenue on $535 billion in handle in 2025 across 38 states. Popularity rises via IPL streams and South Asian diasporas, comprising 2-5% of overall bets.
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Conclusion
Cricket betting thrives legally across diverse nations like England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Canada, the US, and Mexico, each balancing innovation with safeguards under frameworks like the UK’s Gambling Act 2005 and Australia’s IGA 2001. These markets generated billions, $46.6B US revenue on $535B handle in 2025, AUD 8.32B Australian turnover, and US$516.43M New Zealand sports betting, while deploying age verification, self-exclusion, and monitoring to combat match-fixing fears. Non-traditional markets like Canada (13.6% CAGR to $8.76B by 2030) and the US leverage IPL popularity among diasporas for 2-5% bet shares. Success proves regulated betting boosts tax revenues, protects fans, and elevates cricket’s global appeal when corruption risks yield to robust oversight.
