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 reporter

It is the last over of the cricket match, with India needing 17 go to win against Australia.

In his two-bedroom home located in main Mumbai, a middle-aged male is viewing the video game, nervously. He's sitting on the edge of his grey colour sofa with his cellphone glued to his ideal hand.
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He has actually made more than 10 employ the last 30 minutes - not to discuss the match however to keep revising his bet.
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Five minutes earlier his money was on Australia, and now as the Indian batsman prepares to deal with the last over he's changed his mind.

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

And a couple of minutes later on his prediction becomes a reality, as India wins the match in a nail-biting surface.

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

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

Aside from horse racing, sports betting wagering of any kind is not enabled in India. Despite that, prohibited sports betting distributes flourish in the country.

'Black money'

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

With no legal avenue, punters put 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 individual run scorer.

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

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

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

"Legally you can get away [with this], as the law is uncertain for online gaming," states Mumbai- based attorney HP Ranina.

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

Calls for legalisation

The clamour to legalise sports betting in cricket has actually grown after a panel designated by India's Supreme Court proposed the idea, saying it would assist secure down on corruption in the nation's favourite sport.

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was set up to recommend changes in the performance of India's cricket regulative 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 actually been prohibited for two years after some gamers and team authorities were condemned of fixing parts of the match at the request of bookmakers.

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

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

"I don't mind paying some money out my revenues, as long as I can gamble openly," says our cricket gambler.

It would also open a substantial business chance for certified bookmakers and global online sports betting companies to set up operations in India.

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

"If you work along with wagering business, you will have a very effective approach of marking out match fixing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering website, India Bet.

But numerous also believe, that the taxes levied on the gambler and the bookie will have to be sensible to make it appealing enough for them to bet lawfully.

However, there are constraints.

"Definitely there will be unlawful wagering since (some) individuals wouldn't want to leave an audit path by getting in the white market," says Mr Oborne.

He includes that people who utilize unaccounted money to place big bets will never ever bet lawfully.

Approval concern

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

"Even though lots of people are involved in some sort of gambling - it's still a questionable problem for numerous," says our unnamed punter.

And given that India has a federal structural - each state will need to likewise pass a separate law to legalise sports betting gambling in their territory.

"The process is so long and tricky that it will take years," says Mr Ranina."That's why, we are cynical about this ending up being a truth anytime quickly."

Yet with the concept having been backed by a main panel for the first time, at least an argument has ignited around a topic - which previously was thought about a taboo.
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