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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 runs to win versus Australia.

In his two-bedroom home located in main Mumbai, a middle-aged man is enjoying the 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 made more than 10 calls in the last thirty minutes - not to go over the match however to keep modifying his bet.

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

"I think India is winning, make the modification," he informs his bookie on the phone.

And a couple of minutes later on his prediction comes true, 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 decades he's been banking on cricket matches. We can't reveal his name as what he's doing is unlawful in India.

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

'Black money'

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

With no legal avenue, punters place bets using their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can wager on anything related to the cricket match, from who is to the highest private run scorer.

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

The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any sort of gambling in India, however unlike in the US which has a law restricting internet gaming, there is nothing similar here.

And offshore sports betting companies are using this loophole to lure Indians. Even though there are no online wagering operators based out of India, a lot individuals have registered accounts with offshore companies.

"Legally you can get away [with this], as the law is unclear for online gambling," states Mumbai- based legal representative HP Ranina.

But regardless of this, it is "offline sports betting", done through telephone call which dominate the marketplace.

Calls for legalisation

The clamour to legalise wagering in cricket has grown after a panel designated by India's Supreme Court proposed the idea, saying it would help clamp down on corruption in the nation's preferred sport.

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was established to suggest changes 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 emerged.

Two franchises have actually been banned for 2 years after some players and group authorities were discovered guilty of fixing parts of the match at the wish of bookmakers.

The panel likewise argues that legalised sports betting will generate tax profits for the exchequer that could total up to $2bn a year.

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

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

It would also open a big service chance for licensed bookies and global online wagering 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 transactions associated with gambling more transparent.

"If you work alongside sports betting business, you will have a really reliable method of stamping out match repairing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering website, India Bet.

But many likewise think, that the taxes levied on the bettor and the bookie will need to be sensible to make it attractive enough for them to bet lawfully.

However, there are restrictions.

"Definitely there will be unlawful wagering since (some) individuals would not want to leave an audit path by entering the white market," says Mr Oborne.

He includes that individuals who use unaccounted money to put big bets will never ever bet lawfully.

Approval concern

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

"Even though lots of people are associated with some sort of gambling - it's still a controversial problem for lots of," states our unnamed punter.

And provided that India has a federal structural - each state will have to also pass a separate law to legalise sports betting in their area.
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"The process 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 idea having actually been endorsed by a main panel for the first time, a minimum of a dispute has actually ignited around a subject - which previously was considered a taboo.
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