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Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting wagering in India

Published

5 February 2016

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By Sameer Hashmi

Mumbai Business reporter

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

In his two-bedroom home situated in main Mumbai, a middle-aged guy is enjoying the game, nervously. He's on the edge of his grey colour sofa with his cellphone glued to his right-hand man.

He has made more than 10 contact the last 30 minutes - not to talk about the match however to keep revising his bet.

Five minutes earlier his money was on Australia, today as the Indian batsman gets prepared to face the last over he's changed his mind.

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

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

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

For more than 3 years he's been wagering on cricket matches. We can't expose his name as what he's doing is illegal in India.

Besides horse racing, sports betting wagering of any kind is not allowed India. Despite that, unlawful sports betting distributes grow in the country.

'Black cash'

According to the Doha-based International Centre for sports betting Security, India's illegal sports betting market is worth some $150bn a year. And much of that sports betting cash is directed towards cricket.
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Without any legal opportunity, punters put bets utilizing their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can bet on anything associated to the cricket match, from who is winning to the greatest specific run scorer.

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

The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any kind of gaming in India, but unlike in the US which has a law restricting web gaming, there is absolutely nothing comparable here.

And overseas sports betting business are using this loophole to draw Indians. Although there are no online sports betting operators based out of India, a lot individuals have registered accounts with offshore companies.

"Legally you can escape [with this], as the law is uncertain for online sports betting," says Mumbai- based legal representative HP Ranina.

But in spite of this, it is "offline sports betting", done through phone calls which control the marketplace.

Require legalisation

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

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was set up to recommend modifications in the functioning of India's cricket regulatory body, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), after the 2013 Indian Premier League sports betting scandal emerged.

Two franchises have actually been prohibited for 2 years after some players and team officials were found guilty of repairing parts of the match at the request of bookmakers.

The panel also argues that legalised sports betting will bring in tax revenues for the exchequer that could amount to $2bn a year.

Even gamblers feel that legalising sports betting is a relocation in the best direction.

"I do not mind paying some money out my earnings, as long as I can gamble publicly," states our cricket bettor.

It would likewise open a big organization chance for licensed bookmakers and worldwide online wagering business to establish operations in India.

And it would help restrict match fixing in cricket and other sports betting, argue many, by helping make transactions associated with gambling more transparent.

"If you work together with sports betting companies, you will have an extremely efficient method of stamping out match repairing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering website, India Bet.

But numerous likewise believe, that the taxes imposed on the gambler and the bookie will have to be reasonable to make it attractive enough for them to bet legally.

However, there are limitations.

"Definitely there will be illegal wagering since (some) people wouldn't wish to leave an audit path by getting in the white market," states Mr Oborne.

He includes that people who use unaccounted cash to place big bets will never ever bet lawfully.

Approval question

For sports betting gambling to be legalised, parliamentary approval will be needed to produce a new law, and politically this will be a hard idea to sell.

"Although lots of individuals are included in some sort of sports betting - it's still a controversial issue for many," says our unnamed punter.

And considered that India has a federal structural - each state will need to also pass a different law to legalise sports betting gambling in their area.

"The process is so long and tricky that it will take years," says Mr Ranina."That's why, we are negative about this becoming a reality anytime soon."

Yet with the concept having been backed by a main panel for the very first time, at least a debate has fired up around a topic - which till now was thought about a taboo.
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