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Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting in India
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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 located 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.

He has actually made more than 10 calls in the last 30 minutes - not to discuss the match but to keep modifying his bet.

Five minutes previously his money was on Australia, and now as the Indian batsman gets ready to deal with the last over he's altered his mind.

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

And a couple of minutes later his prediction comes to life, as India wins the match in a nail-biting surface.

"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 reveal his name as what he's doing is unlawful in India.

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

'Black cash'

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

Without any legal opportunity, punters position bets utilizing their phones by making calls to bookies. Gamblers can bet on anything related to the cricket match, from who is winning to the highest private run scorer.

Most of these deals include so-called "black cash", which is cash 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 prohibiting web gaming, there is absolutely nothing similar here.

And offshore sports betting companies are using this loophole to lure Indians. Despite the fact that there are no online sports betting operators based out of India, a lot people have registered accounts with offshore companies.

"Legally you can get away [with this], as the law is ambiguous 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 dominate 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 concept, saying it would help secure down on corruption in the nation'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 wagering scandal came to light.

Two franchises have actually been for 2 years after some gamers and group officials were condemned of fixing parts of the match at the request of bookies.

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

Even bettors feel that legalising sports betting is a move in the best instructions.

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

It would likewise open a substantial organization opportunity for licensed bookies and global online sports betting business to set up operations in India.

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

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

But numerous also think, that the taxes levied on the bettor and the bookmaker will have to be reasonable to make it attractive enough for them to gamble lawfully.

However, there are limitations.

"Definitely there will be prohibited wagering due to the fact that (some) people wouldn't desire to leave an audit path by entering the white market," says Mr Oborne.

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

Approval concern

For sports betting to be legalised, parliamentary approval will be required to develop a brand-new law, and politically this will be a difficult idea to offer.

"Even however many individuals are included in some sort of gaming - it's still a controversial concern for lots of," says our unnamed punter.

And considered that India has a federal structural - each state will need to likewise pass a separate law to legalise sports betting gambling in their territory.
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"The process is so long and tricky that it will take years," states Mr Ranina."That's why, we are negative about this becoming a reality anytime soon."

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