Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting in India
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5 February 2016

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By Sameer Hashmi
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Mumbai Business press reporter

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

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

He has made more than 10 employ the last 30 minutes - not to go over the match but to keep revising his bet.

Five minutes previously his money was on Australia, now as the Indian batsman prepares to face the last over he's altered his mind.

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

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

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

For more than 3 years he's been sports betting on cricket matches. We can't reveal his name as what he's doing is unlawful in India.

Other than horse racing, sports betting wagering of any kind is not allowed in India. Despite that, prohibited sports betting distributes flourish in the country.

'Black cash'

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

With no legal avenue, punters place bets utilizing 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.

The majority of these transactions involve so-called "black money", which is money not declared 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 internet sports betting, there is absolutely nothing similar here.

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

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

But despite this, it is "offline gaming", done through telephone call which dominate the marketplace.

Require legalisation

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

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

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

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

Even bettors feel that legalising sports betting wagering is a relocation in the ideal instructions.

"I do not mind paying some cash out my revenues, as long as I can gamble openly," says our cricket bettor.

It would also open a huge company opportunity for certified bookmakers and international online sports betting business to establish operations in India.

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

"If you work along with sports betting business, you will have a very effective technique of stamping out match repairing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting site, India Bet.

But lots of also believe, that the taxes imposed on the bettor and the bookie will need to be reasonable to make it appealing enough for them to bet legally.
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However, there are restrictions.

"Definitely there will be unlawful wagering since (some) individuals wouldn't wish to leave an audit trail by going into the white market," states Mr Oborne.

He adds that people who use unaccounted money to position huge bets will never bet legally.

Approval concern

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

"Despite the fact that many individuals are involved in some sort of gaming - it's still a controversial concern for lots of," states 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 in their area.
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"The procedure is so long and challenging that it will take years," says Mr Ranina."That's why, we are negative about this becoming a truth anytime quickly."

Yet with the concept having been backed by an official panel for the first time, at least a dispute has actually fired up around a topic - which previously was considered a taboo.
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