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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 needing 17 go to win against Australia.

In his two-bedroom home situated in main Mumbai, a middle-aged male is watching the video game, nervously. He's sitting on the edge of his grey colour couch with his mobile phone glued to his right-hand man.
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He has made more than 10 contact the last 30 minutes - not to discuss the match but to keep modifying his bet.

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

"I believe India is winning, make the change," he tells his bookmaker on the phone.

And a few minutes later on his forecast becomes a reality, as India wins the match in a nail-biting finish.
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"I have made $200 today," he states with a childish 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 prohibited in India.

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

'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 gambling cash is directed towards cricket.

Without any legal avenue, punters position bets utilizing their phones by making calls to bookies. Gamblers can bank on anything related to the cricket match, from who is winning to the greatest individual run scorer.

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

The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any type of gaming in India, however unlike in the US which has a law prohibiting internet sports betting, there is absolutely nothing similar here.
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And overseas sports betting business are utilizing this loophole to entice 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 unclear for online sports betting," states Mumbai- based lawyer HP Ranina.

But regardless of this, it is "offline gambling", done through call which control the market.

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 secure down on corruption in the nation's preferred sport.

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was established to suggest modifications 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.
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Two franchises have actually been prohibited for 2 years after some gamers and group officials were found guilty of fixing parts of the match at the request of bookmakers.

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

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

"I do not mind paying some money out my earnings, as long as I can bet openly," states our cricket gambler.

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

And it would assist limit match repairing in cricket and other sports betting, argue lots of, by helping make deals associated with gambling more transparent.

"If you work alongside sports betting business, you will have an extremely effective approach of marking out match repairing," says George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting website, India Bet.

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

However, there are limitations.

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

He includes that individuals who use unaccounted money to place huge bets will never gamble legally.

Approval question

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

"Although many individuals are associated with some sort of sports betting - it's still a questionable problem for numerous," states our unnamed punter.

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

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

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