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Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting in India

Published

5 February 2016

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By Sameer Hashmi

Mumbai Business press reporter

It is the last over of the cricket match, with India requiring 17 go to win against Australia.

In his two-bedroom home located in main Mumbai, a middle-aged man is viewing the video game, nervously. He's resting on the edge of his grey colour couch with his smart phone glued to his best hand.

He has made more than 10 employ the last thirty minutes - not to go over the match however to keep revising his bet.

Five minutes previously his money was on Australia, now as the Indian batsman gets all set to face the last over he's changed his mind.

"I believe India is winning, make the modification," he informs his bookmaker on the phone.

And a few minutes later his forecast becomes a reality, as India wins the match in a nail-biting finish.

"I have made $200 today," he says with a childlike glee.

For more than three decades he's been banking on cricket matches. We can't reveal his name as what he's doing is unlawful in India.

Aside from horse racing, sports betting wagering of any kind is not enabled in India. Despite that, illegal wagering syndicates thrive in the nation.

'Black money'

According to the Doha-based International Centre for sports betting Security, India's prohibited sports betting wagering market deserves some $150bn a year. And much of that gambling cash is directed towards cricket.

Without any legal opportunity, punters put bets utilizing their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can bank on anything associated to the cricket match, from who is winning to the highest private run scorer.

The majority of these deals include so-called "black cash", which is money not declared to the taxman.

The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any type of gambling in India, however unlike in the US which has a law restricting internet gaming, there is absolutely nothing similar here.

And overseas wagering companies are utilizing this loophole to draw Indians. Despite the fact that there are no online wagering operators based out of India, a lot people have signed up accounts with offshore firms.

"Legally you can escape [with this], as the law is unclear for online gambling," states Mumbai- based legal representative HP Ranina.
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But regardless of this, it is "offline sports betting", done through phone calls which dominate the marketplace.

Calls for legalisation

The clamour to legalise sports betting in cricket has grown after a panel appointed by India's Supreme Court proposed the idea, stating it would help clamp down on corruption in the country's favourite sport.

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was set up to suggest changes in the functioning of India's cricket regulatory body, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), after the 2013 Indian Premier League wagering scandal came to light.

Two franchises have actually been prohibited for 2 years after some players and team authorities were found guilty of fixing parts of the match at the wish of bookies.

The panel also argues that legalised wagering will bring in tax earnings for the exchequer that might total up to $2bn a year.

Even gamblers feel that sports betting wagering is a move in the best direction.

"I don't mind paying some money out my profits, as long as I can bet openly," states our cricket gambler.

It would also open a huge organization opportunity for certified bookmakers and global online wagering business to set up operations in India.

And it would assist limit match fixing in cricket and other sports betting, argue numerous, by assisting make transactions involved in sports betting more transparent.

"If you work along with wagering companies, you will have a really effective method of marking out match fixing," says George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting site, India Bet.

But numerous likewise believe, that the taxes imposed on the gambler and the bookmaker will need to be reasonable to make it appealing enough for them to bet lawfully.

However, there are restrictions.

"Definitely there will be prohibited wagering because (some) people would not desire to leave an audit path by going into the white market," says Mr Oborne.

He adds that individuals who utilize unaccounted money to put big bets will never bet lawfully.
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Approval question

For sports betting gambling to be legalised, parliamentary approval will be needed to create a brand-new law, and politically this will be a hard concept to sell.
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"Even though many individuals are included in some sort of gambling - it's still a questionable issue for lots of," states our unnamed punter.

And given that India has a federal structural - each state will have to likewise pass a different law to legalise sports betting gambling in their area.
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"The process is so long and difficult that it will take years," says Mr Ranina."That's why, we are negative about this ending up being a reality anytime quickly."

Yet with the idea having been backed by a main panel for the very first time, a minimum of an argument has sparked around a topic - which up until now was considered a taboo.