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Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting wagering 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 needing 17 runs to win against Australia.

In his two-bedroom home situated in central Mumbai, a middle-aged male is enjoying the video 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 discuss the match but to keep modifying his bet.

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

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

And a few minutes later on his prediction comes real, as India wins the match in a nail-biting finish.

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

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

Other than horse racing, sports betting wagering of any kind is not permitted in India. Despite that, unlawful sports betting distributes flourish in the country.

'Black cash'

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

Without any legal avenue, punters put bets utilizing their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can bet on anything associated to the cricket match, from who is winning to the highest individual run scorer.

Most of these deals involve so-called "black money", which is money not stated to the taxman.

The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any kind of gaming in India, however unlike in the US which has a law restricting internet sports betting, there is absolutely nothing comparable here.

And offshore wagering companies are utilizing this loophole to entice Indians. Although there are no online sports betting operators based out of India, a lot people have actually registered accounts with offshore companies.

"Legally you can escape [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 phone calls which dominate the market.

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 concept, stating it would help secure down on corruption in the nation's preferred sport.

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was set up to recommend changes in the performance of India's cricket regulatory body, the Board of Control for in India (BCCI), after the 2013 Indian Premier League sports betting scandal came to light.

Two franchises have been prohibited for two years after some gamers and team officials were discovered guilty of fixing parts of the match at the wish of bookmakers.

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

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

"I don't mind paying some cash out my profits, as long as I can bet publicly," states our cricket bettor.

It would also open a substantial business chance for licensed bookies and international online wagering companies to establish operations in India.

And it would help limit match repairing in cricket and other sports betting, argue numerous, by helping make transactions associated with sports betting more transparent.

"If you work together with wagering business, you will have an extremely efficient technique of stamping out match fixing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering site, India Bet.

But numerous likewise believe, that the taxes levied on the bettor and the bookmaker will need to be sensible to make it appealing enough for them to bet lawfully.

However, there are constraints.

"Definitely there will be unlawful sports betting because (some) people wouldn't want to leave an audit trail by entering the white market," says Mr Oborne.

He includes that individuals who utilize unaccounted cash to put huge bets will never bet legally.

Approval concern

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

"Despite the fact that lots of individuals are included in some sort of sports betting - it's still a controversial issue for numerous," says our unnamed punter.

And considered that India has a federal structural - each state will need to also pass a separate law to legalise sports betting gambling in their area.
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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 ending up being a reality anytime quickly."

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