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Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting in India

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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 runs to win versus Australia.

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

He has actually made more than 10 contact the last 30 minutes - not to go over the match however to keep modifying his bet.

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

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

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

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

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

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

'Black money'

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

Without any legal opportunity, punters place bets using their phones by making calls to bookies. Gamblers can bank on anything related to the cricket match, from who is winning to the greatest private run scorer.

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

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

And offshore wagering companies are utilizing this loophole to tempt Indians. Even though there are no online wagering operators based out of India, a lot individuals have actually signed up accounts with overseas companies.

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

But despite this, it is "offline gambling", done through telephone call 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 concept, saying it would assist clamp down on corruption in the country's favourite sport.

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was set up to suggest 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 came to light.

Two franchises have been banned for 2 years after some gamers and group authorities were found guilty of fixing parts of the match at the request of bookies.

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

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

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

It would likewise open a big service chance for licensed bookmakers and worldwide online sports betting business to set up operations in India.

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

"If you work together with wagering business, you will have an extremely efficient technique of marking out match fixing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting site, India Bet.

But numerous likewise think, that the taxes imposed on the gambler and the bookie will need to be affordable to make it attractive enough for them to bet lawfully.

However, there are limitations.

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

He adds that individuals who use unaccounted cash to position big bets will never gamble legally.

Approval concern

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

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

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

"The procedure is so long and difficult 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 idea having been backed by an official panel for the very first time, a minimum of a dispute has fired up around a subject - which previously was considered a taboo.
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