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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 press reporter

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

In his two-bedroom home located in central Mumbai, a middle-aged man is watching the game, nervously. He's sitting on the edge of his grey colour sofa with his mobile phone glued to his ideal hand.

He has made more than 10 hire the last thirty minutes - not to talk about the match however to keep modifying his bet.

Five minutes earlier his cash was on Australia, now as the Indian batsman prepares yourself to deal with the last over he's changed his mind.

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

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

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

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

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

'Black money'

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

With no legal opportunity, punters place bets using their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can bank on anything related to the cricket match, from who is winning to the greatest specific run scorer.

Most of these transactions include so-called "black cash", which is money not stated to the taxman.

The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any sort of sports betting in India, however unlike in the US which has a law forbiding internet sports betting, there is absolutely nothing comparable here.

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

"Legally you can get away [with this], as the law is uncertain for online sports betting," states Mumbai- based lawyer HP Ranina.

But in spite of this, it is "offline gaming", done through phone calls which control the market.

Calls for legalisation

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

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

Two franchises have been banned for two years after some gamers and group authorities were condemned of repairing parts of the match at the behest of bookies.

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

Even bettors feel that legalising sports betting is a move in the best instructions.
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"I don't mind paying some cash out my revenues, as long as I can gamble publicly," says our cricket gambler.

It would also open a substantial service chance for certified bookies and international online sports betting business to set up operations in India.

And it would help limit match fixing in cricket and other sports betting, argue many, by assisting make deals associated with sports betting more transparent.

"If you work alongside wagering business, you will have a very effective method of stamping out match repairing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting website, India Bet.

But numerous likewise think, that the taxes levied on the gambler and the bookmaker will need to be sensible to make it attractive enough for them to gamble legally.

However, there are limitations.

"Definitely there will be illegal sports betting since (some) individuals would not desire to leave an audit trail by entering the white market," says Mr Oborne.
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He includes that individuals who utilize unaccounted cash to position big bets will never bet lawfully.

Approval concern

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

"Although many individuals are included in some sort of sports betting - it's still a questionable concern for many," states our unnamed punter.

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

Yet with the concept having actually been backed by an official panel for the very first time, a minimum of a dispute has sparked around a subject - which previously was considered a taboo.
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