Vanuatu Becomes Unlikely New Cricket Betting Hotspot

Vanuatu, a tiny chain of around 80 islands in the south Pacific, can boast of being one of the only COVID-19-free nations in the world.

However, global restrictions on travel have devastated Vanuatu's tourism industry, and Vanuatu was also hit hard by Cyclone Harold last month.

In response, Vanuatu has turned itself into an unlikely new cricket hotspot by being one of the only countries in the world to play live cricket and broadcast it to a global audience hungry for live sport of any kind.

Over half a million viewers in India - Vanuatu itself only has a population of around 290,000 - tuned into to watch a hastily arranged game on a plastic synthetic pitch earlier this month.

Despite a low standard of play, and only four inexperienced cameramen covering the game, the first live cricket match on Vanuatu national television was a big success.

So big in fact, that BetBarter, run by Sky Infotech Ltd, a Curacao-based betting and casino brand, is to sponsor a 10-match Men’s T10 'Blast' tournament that from 21 May to 13 June.

The three-team showpiece has been scheduled no doubt with the Indian market in mind - games are to be played every Saturday at 7:30 am and 9:30 am IST after the first set of matches is played on Thursday (21 May).

It’s no secret that cricket betting is enormous in India, despite the government's official position against gambling and online gambling.

Shane Deitz, a former South African batsman and now the CEO of the Vanuatu Cricket Association, was surprised by the Indian viewing figures of the inaugural match. When asked about it, the 44-year-old was quoted as saying, "I presume lots of gambling on it [helps explain it]".

According to an article on First Post, the newly-fashioned Vincy T10 Premier League, hosted by the Caribbean island of St Vincent's cricket association and starting this Friday, is the result of an approach from an Indian fantasy cricket company.

Again, the Vincy T10 Premier League will cater to the Indian audience with matches starting at the early local time of 8:30 am - 7 pm IST.

Amidst a surge of online gaming in India attributed to the national lockdown, the All India Gaming Federation has added three new experts to its panel to bolster its campaign for responsible gaming, and industry best practices and standards.