One of the easiest ways to market products, services, or content these days is to use a well-known celebrity, either someone who is already famous in the country where the business is being marketed or an even bigger celebrity with global recognition.
Online casinos are more popular than ever in India and in all other regions where iGaming sites like this are legally permitted. In recent years, several major celebrities have either been the face of some of India’s best sites or have appeared in one or more promotional campaigns run by a handful of reputable iGaming website operators.
Let’s dive straight in to discover which famous Indian celebrities have, at one point, been involved in helping to promote certain fully licensed and regulated online casino and sports betting sites that accept real cash wagers from anyone in India aged 18 or above.
Why does the booming iGaming industry in India use celebrities to promote their brands?
The most likeable and well-known celebrities often have huge followings on their social media platforms, so when they become the new face of an online casino brand, people who see adverts for the sites they are promoting will instantly trust the brand because a well-known celebrity is endorsing it.
It’s an extremely clever marketing strategy, but it doesn’t come cheap. Consumers, players, and customers find it much easier to relate to celebrities than businesses, which is why celebrities have become an excellent tool for raising brand awareness and increasing conversions and revenue.
In the iGaming industry, various Indian [and international] celebrities have been the face of Indian online casinos that offer slot machines with free spins bonuses, or the face of Indian online sports betting websites with highly competitive odds and free sports bets.
For example, the late great Shane Warne has promoted online sports betting casinos in India, just like Virat Kohli.
The main types of celebrities that are commonly used these days as a marketing tool to promote iGaming sites are the following:
- Sports stars – mainly professional cricketers, F1 racing drivers, footballers, basketball players, golfers, tennis players, Olympic stars, and tennis players, plus sports stars from various other major sports disciplines. These could be ex-professional sports stars or ones that are still active in their respective sports
- Bands/musicians/singers – in the past, several iGaming sites have been known to have famous singers/bands promote their brands
- Social media influencers – more social media ‘influencers’ and personalities that ever have started promoting eSports betting sites and online casinos via their Twitch and YouTube channels or have become the face of certain brands
- Famous media personalities/well-connected celebrities/heiresses, and other high society figures have also been spotted promoting online casinos
- Actors – many of Hollywood and Bollywood’s biggest actors and actresses have promoted online casinos and sports betting sites
When choosing which celebrities will be the face of their brands, operators often consider various key factors, such as the public perception of that person, how famous they are and how many millions of followers they have on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter) and various other social media and video streaming platforms/channels.
Which famous Indian celebrities have helped promote online casinos and other iGaming websites?
As mentioned, Virat Kohli (cricketer) is possibly the most famous Indian celebrity who has helped promote an iGaming website. Here are the five most notable Indian celebrities who have been used as a marketing tool in this way:
- Virat Kohli
- Sunny Leone
- Baadshah
- Nargis Fakhri
- Ali Fazal
These are just five of many famous Indian celebrities that you may have already seen promoting some of the country’s safest and most secure online sports betting and casino websites. There are countless others.
Which other famous celebrities have been known to promote iGaming sites?
Besides these famous Indian celebrities, many other globally renowned superstars have also become the face of online casinos and/or sports betting sites. Examples include Hollywood actor Chris Rock, former English Premier League footballer Didier Drogba, and Heiress Paris Hilton.
Others include UFC/MMA fighter Conon McGregor, actor Charlie Sheen, footballers Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar Jr., actor Verne Troy, singer/musician/songwriter Drake, basketball stars Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Michael Jordan, and ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky.
That’s not forgetting Jose Mourinho, Ben Affleck, Jose Mourinho, and many others. Their star power alone can help an iGaming site stand out from the crowd than any other marketing strategy to help attract more new customers.
Are Indian online gambling sites safe?
Today’s safest and most secure Indian online casinos are ones controlled by reputable operators with excellent standing in the iGaming industry. These top-rated sites are fully licensed and regulated by one or more mid to top-tier gaming commissions/licensing authorities and have excellent cyber security measures in place to protect your account.
They are free to join, have generous bonuses for new and existing players (with low to medium wagering requirements attached) and accept a broad range of secure Indian online payment methods.
They have thousands of games (computer-generated and live dealer) from award-winning providers with high or above-average return to player (RTP%) payout rates, and they can be accessed from any decent-working Wi-Fi/internet-connected mobile device or PC.
Final thoughts
If you decide to sign up to an Indian online casino or sports betting site endorsed by a famous celebrity, remember to gamble responsibly to ensure you always remain within your budget and stick to the safest sites like those currently featured on the official India Casinos website.