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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 reporter

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

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

He has actually made more than 10 hire the last thirty minutes - not to talk about the match but to keep modifying his bet.

Five minutes earlier his cash was on Australia, however now as the Indian batsman prepares yourself to face the last over he's altered his mind.

"I think India is winning, make the change," he tells 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 surface.
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"I have made $200 today," he says with a childish glee.

For more than 3 years he's been banking on cricket matches. We can't expose his name as what he's doing is prohibited in India.
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Aside from horse racing, sports betting of any kind is not enabled in India. Despite that, unlawful wagering syndicates flourish in the country.

'Black cash'

According to the Doha-based International Centre for sports betting Security, India's illegal 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 put bets using their phones by making calls to bookies. 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 cash", which is cash not declared to the taxman.

The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any sort of gaming in India, but unlike in the US which has a law forbiding internet gaming, there is absolutely nothing comparable here.

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

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

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

Require legalisation

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

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was established to suggest modifications in the functioning of India's cricket regulative body, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), after the 2013 Indian Premier League wagering scandal emerged.

Two franchises have been banned for 2 years after some gamers and group officials were condemned of fixing parts of the match at the request of bookmakers.

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

Even bettors feel that legalising sports betting wagering is a relocation in the ideal direction.

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

It would also open a substantial business chance 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 lots of, by helping make transactions associated with sports betting more transparent.

"If you work together with sports betting business, you will have a very effective technique of stamping out match fixing," says George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting website, India Bet.

But lots of also believe, that the taxes levied on the bettor and the bookie will need to be sensible to make it appealing enough for them to gamble legally.

However, there are restrictions.

"Definitely there will be unlawful sports betting since (some) people wouldn't wish to leave an audit trail by getting in the white market," states Mr Oborne.

He adds that individuals who use unaccounted money to position huge bets will never ever bet legally.

Approval question

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

"Although many individuals are involved in some sort of gambling - it's still a controversial concern for numerous," says our unnamed punter.

And considered that India has a - each state will need to likewise pass a different law to legalise sports betting gambling in their territory.
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"The procedure is so long and challenging that it will take years," says Mr Ranina."That's why, we are cynical about this becoming a reality anytime soon."

Yet with the idea having been backed by an official panel for the first time, at least a dispute has actually fired up around a subject - which up until now was thought about a taboo.
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