For Sports Gambling to Be Legalised
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Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting wagering in India

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 requiring 17 runs to win against Australia.

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

He has actually made more than 10 hire the last 30 minutes - not to discuss the match but to keep modifying his bet.

Five minutes earlier his cash was on Australia, today as the Indian batsman prepares yourself to face the last over he's changed 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 becomes a reality, as India wins the match in a nail-biting finish.

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

For more than 3 decades he's been wagering on cricket matches. We can't expose his name as what he's doing is illegal in India.

Aside from horse racing, sports betting of any kind is not allowed India. Despite that, prohibited sports betting distributes flourish in the country.

'Black money'

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 gambling cash is directed towards cricket.

Without any legal opportunity, punters position bets utilizing their phones by making calls to bookies. Gamblers can bank on anything related to the cricket match, from who is winning to the greatest private run scorer.
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The majority of these transactions include so-called "black cash", which is cash not stated to the taxman.

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

And overseas sports betting companies are utilizing this loophole to lure Indians. Even though there are no online wagering operators based out of India, a lot individuals have registered accounts with overseas companies.

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

But despite this, it is "offline gambling", done through phone calls which dominate the marketplace.

Calls for legalisation

The clamour to legalise wagering in cricket has actually grown after a panel appointed by India's Supreme Court proposed the idea, stating it would help clamp down on corruption in the nation's favourite sport.

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

Two franchises have actually been prohibited for 2 years after some gamers and group authorities were found guilty of fixing parts of the match at the behest of bookies.

The panel likewise argues that legalised wagering 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 direction.
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"I do not mind paying some money out my profits, as long as I can bet publicly," states our cricket gambler.
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It would likewise open a big service chance for licensed bookmakers and worldwide online sports betting business to establish operations in India.

And it would assist limit match repairing in cricket and other sports betting, argue lots of, by helping make deals associated with gambling more transparent.

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

But many likewise think, that the taxes levied on the gambler and the bookie will need to be affordable to make it attractive enough for them to bet lawfully.
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However, there are restrictions.

"Definitely there will be prohibited sports betting because (some) individuals would not wish to leave an audit trail by getting in the white market," says Mr Oborne.

He includes that people who use unaccounted cash to place big bets will never ever gamble lawfully.

Approval concern

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

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

And offered that India has a federal structural - each state will need to likewise pass a separate law to legalise sports betting gambling in their territory.
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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 endorsed by an official panel for the very first time, a minimum of a dispute has actually ignited around a topic - which until now was considered a taboo.