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 go to win against Australia.

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

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

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

"I think India is winning, make the change," he tells his bookmaker on the phone.

And a few minutes later on his forecast 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 years he's been banking on cricket matches. We can't expose his name as what he's doing is illegal in India.

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

'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 money is directed towards cricket.

With no legal opportunity, punters place bets utilizing their phones by making calls to bookmakers. can wager on anything associated to the cricket match, from who is winning to the highest individual run scorer.

The majority 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 gambling in India, however unlike in the US which has a law restricting web sports betting, there is absolutely nothing similar here.

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

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

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

Calls for legalisation

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

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was set up to suggest changes 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 two years after some gamers and group officials were discovered guilty of repairing parts of the match at the request of bookies.

The panel likewise argues that legalised sports betting will generate tax earnings for the exchequer that could total up to $2bn a year.

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

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

It would likewise open a huge company chance for licensed bookies and worldwide online sports betting companies to establish operations in India.
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And it would assist restrict match repairing in cricket and other sports betting, argue many, by assisting make transactions associated with sports betting more transparent.

"If you work together with wagering companies, you will have an extremely effective approach of marking out match repairing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering site, India Bet.

But many also believe, that the taxes imposed on the bettor and the bookie will have to be affordable to make it attractive enough for them to gamble legally.

However, there are constraints.
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"Definitely there will be prohibited wagering because (some) people wouldn't wish to leave an audit path by going into the white market," states Mr Oborne.

He adds that individuals who utilize unaccounted money to put big bets will never bet lawfully.

Approval question

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

"Despite the fact that many individuals are associated with some sort of gambling - it's still a controversial problem for many," says our unnamed punter.

And considered that India has a federal structural - each state will need to likewise pass a different law to legalise sports betting in their area.

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

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