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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 requiring 17 runs to win versus Australia.

In his two-bedroom home located in central Mumbai, a middle-aged male is enjoying the video game, nervously. He's resting on the edge of his grey colour sofa with his smart phone glued to his ideal hand.

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

Five minutes previously his cash was on Australia, and now as the Indian batsman prepares to face 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 few minutes later on his forecast becomes a reality, as India wins the match in a nail-biting finish.

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

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

Aside from horse racing, sports betting of any kind is not permitted in India. Despite that, unlawful sports betting syndicates flourish in the country.

'Black money'

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

With no legal opportunity, punters place bets utilizing their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can bank on anything associated to the cricket match, from who is winning to the highest private run scorer.

Most of these deals 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, however unlike in the US which has a law prohibiting internet gambling, there is absolutely nothing comparable here.

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

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

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

Calls for legalisation

The clamour to legalise wagering in cricket has grown after a panel designated by India's Supreme Court proposed the concept, stating it would assist clamp 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 came to light.

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

The panel also argues that legalised sports betting will generate tax earnings for the exchequer that could amount to $2bn a year.

Even bettors feel that legalising sports betting wagering is a move in the right direction.

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

It would also open a huge service chance for certified bookmakers and global online wagering companies to set up operations in India.

And it would help restrict match repairing in cricket and other sports betting, argue lots of, by assisting make deals involved in sports betting more transparent.
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"If you work alongside wagering business, you will have a really effective method of stamping out match repairing," says George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting website, India Bet.

But lots of also think, that the taxes levied on the bettor and the bookmaker will have to be affordable to make it attractive enough for them to gamble legally.

However, there are limitations.

"Definitely there will be illegal sports betting because (some) people wouldn't wish to leave an audit path by entering the white market," states Mr Oborne.

He adds that individuals who cash to position huge bets will never gamble legally.

Approval question
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For sports betting to be legalised, parliamentary approval will be needed to develop a brand-new law, and politically this will be a hard concept to sell.

"Even though many individuals are associated with some sort of gambling - it's still a controversial concern for numerous," says 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 territory.

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

Yet with the concept having actually been backed by a main panel for the very first time, a minimum of a debate has fired up around a subject - which till now was considered a taboo.