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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 requiring 17 go to win against Australia.
In his two-bedroom home situated in main Mumbai, a middle-aged male 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 actually made more than 10 contact the last 30 minutes - not to go over the match but to keep revising his bet.
Five minutes previously his money was on Australia, however 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 modification," he tells his bookmaker on the phone.
And a couple of minutes later his forecast becomes a reality, as India wins the match in a nail-biting finish.
"I have actually made $200 today," he states with a childlike glee.
For more than three years he's been banking on cricket matches. We can't reveal his name as what he's doing is illegal in India.
Other than horse racing, sports betting wagering of any kind is not allowed India. Despite that, illegal sports betting syndicates prosper in the nation.
'Black cash'
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 gambling money is directed towards cricket.
Without any legal avenue, punters position 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 private run scorer.
Most of these deals include so-called "black cash", which is cash not declared to the taxman.
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The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any kind of gambling in India, but unlike in the US which has a law forbiding web gambling, there is absolutely nothing similar here.
And offshore wagering companies are utilizing this loophole to draw Indians. Despite the fact that there are no online wagering operators based out of India, a lot people have signed up accounts with overseas firms.
"Legally you can get away [with this], as the law is uncertain for online sports betting," says Mumbai- based attorney HP Ranina.
But regardless of this, it is "offline sports betting", done through call which control the marketplace.
Require legalisation
The clamour to legalise sports betting in cricket has grown after a panel selected by India's Supreme Court proposed the idea, saying it would help secure down on corruption in the nation's favourite sport.
The Justice RM Lodha Commission was established to recommend changes in the performance of India's cricket regulatory body, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), after the 2013 Indian Premier League sports betting scandal emerged.
Two franchises have been banned for 2 years after some players and team authorities were condemned of repairing parts of the match at the request of bookmakers.
The panel also argues that legalised wagering will generate tax incomes for the exchequer that might total up to $2bn a year.
Even bettors feel that legalising sports betting wagering is a move in the ideal direction.
"I do not mind paying some cash out my profits, as long as I can bet openly," says our cricket gambler.
It would likewise open a substantial organization opportunity for licensed bookmakers and international online sports betting business to set up operations in India.
And it would help restrict match fixing in cricket and other sports betting, argue numerous, by helping make deals involved in gambling more transparent.
"If you work alongside wagering business, you will have an extremely efficient approach of stamping out match repairing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting site, India Bet.
But numerous likewise think, that the taxes levied on the gambler and the bookie will have to be affordable to make it appealing enough for them to bet lawfully.
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However, there are limitations.
"Definitely there will be prohibited wagering due to the fact that (some) individuals would not want to leave an audit trail by getting in the white market," states Mr Oborne.
He includes that individuals who use unaccounted cash to place big bets will never gamble legally.
Approval concern
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For sports betting gambling to be legalised, parliamentary approval will be needed to produce a brand-new law, and politically this will be a difficult idea to offer.
"Although many individuals are involved in some sort of gaming - it's still a controversial issue for lots of," 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 .
"The procedure is so long and difficult 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 been endorsed by a main panel for the very first time, a minimum of a debate has fired up around a subject - which up until now was thought about a taboo.
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For Sports Gambling to Be Legalised
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