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Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting wagering 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 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 couch with his smart phone glued to his right-hand man.

He has made more than 10 hire the last thirty minutes - not to go over the match however to keep revising his bet.

Five minutes previously his money was on Australia, and now as the Indian batsman prepares yourself to deal with the last over he's altered his mind.

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

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

"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.

Besides horse racing, sports betting of any kind is not permitted in India. Despite that, unlawful wagering syndicates prosper in the nation.

'Black cash'

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

With no legal opportunity, punters place bets using their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can bet 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 declared to the taxman.

The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any type of sports betting in India, but unlike in the US which has a law prohibiting web gambling, there is nothing comparable here.

And offshore sports betting business are utilizing this loophole to draw Indians. Despite the fact that there are no online wagering operators based out of India, a lot individuals have signed up accounts with overseas companies.

"Legally you can get away [with this], as the law is unclear for online sports betting," says Mumbai- based attorney HP Ranina.

But in spite of this, it is "offline gaming", done through telephone call which control the market.

Require legalisation

The clamour to legalise sports betting in cricket has actually grown after a panel designated by India's Supreme Court proposed the idea, stating it would help secure down on corruption in the country's favourite 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 came to light.

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

The panel also argues that legalised sports betting will bring in tax incomes for the exchequer that might total up to $2bn a year.

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

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

It would also open a big organization opportunity for licensed bookies and global online sports betting companies to establish operations in India.

And it would assist restrict match repairing in and other sports betting, argue many, by helping make transactions associated with sports betting more transparent.

"If you work along with sports betting companies, you will have an extremely efficient approach of marking out match fixing," says George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering site, India Bet.
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But lots of also think, that the taxes imposed on the bettor and the bookmaker will need to be reasonable to make it attractive enough for them to bet legally.

However, there are limitations.

"Definitely there will be unlawful wagering due to the fact that (some) people would not wish to leave an audit trail by entering the white market," says Mr Oborne.

He adds that individuals who utilize unaccounted cash to place big bets will never ever gamble lawfully.

Approval concern

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

"Despite the fact that many individuals are included in some sort of sports betting - it's still a controversial problem for many," states our unnamed punter.

And considered that India has a federal structural - each state will need to also pass a different law to legalise sports betting in their area.
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"The process is so long and challenging 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 backed by a main panel for the very first time, at least a debate has actually sparked around a subject - which until now was thought about a taboo.
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