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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 press reporter

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

In his two-bedroom home situated in central Mumbai, a middle-aged guy is watching the video game, nervously. He's resting on the edge of his grey colour sofa with his cellphone glued to his right-hand man.

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

Five minutes earlier his money was on Australia, now as the Indian batsman gets all set to face the last over he's changed his mind.

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

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

"I have actually made $200 today," he says with a childish 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.
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Aside from horse racing, sports betting wagering of any kind is not permitted in India. Despite that, illegal sports betting syndicates grow in the country.

'Black money'

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.

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

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

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

And offshore sports betting business are utilizing this loophole to tempt Indians. Despite the fact that there are no online sports betting operators based out of India, a lot people have actually signed up 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 in spite of this, it is "offline gambling", done through call which dominate the marketplace.

Require legalisation

The clamour to legalise sports betting in cricket has grown after a panel appointed by India's Supreme Court proposed the idea, saying it would assist clamp down on corruption in the country'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 came to light.

Two franchises have actually been banned for two years after some gamers and group officials were discovered guilty of repairing parts of the match at the request of bookmakers.

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

Even gamblers feel that sports betting is a move in the ideal instructions.

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

It would also open a huge service chance for certified bookies and international online wagering business to set up operations in India.
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And it would help limit match repairing in cricket and other sports betting, argue numerous, by helping make deals associated with sports betting more transparent.

"If you work together with wagering companies, you will have a very efficient technique of stamping out match fixing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering website, India Bet.

But numerous likewise think, that the taxes imposed on the gambler and the bookmaker will need to be reasonable to make it appealing enough for them to gamble legally.

However, there are restrictions.

"Definitely there will be unlawful sports betting due to the fact that (some) individuals wouldn't desire to leave an audit path by going into the white market," says Mr Oborne.

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

Approval concern

For sports betting to be legalised, parliamentary approval will be needed to produce a new law, and politically this will be a tough concept to sell.

"Although lots of individuals are associated with some sort of gaming - it's still a controversial problem for numerous," states our unnamed punter.

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

"The process is so long and tricky that it will take years," states Mr Ranina."That's why, we are cynical about this coming true anytime quickly."

Yet with the idea having actually been endorsed by an official panel for the very first time, a minimum of an argument has sparked around a subject - which previously was thought about a taboo.
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