Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting in India
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5 February 2016

By Sameer Hashmi

Mumbai Business press reporter

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

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

He has made more than 10 contact the last 30 minutes - not to talk about the match however to keep revising his bet.

Five minutes previously his cash was on Australia, now as the Indian batsman gets prepared to face the last over he's changed his mind.

"I believe India is winning, make the change," he informs his bookmaker on the phone.
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And a few minutes later on his prediction comes true, as India wins the match in a nail-biting surface.

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

For more than 3 years he's been banking on cricket matches. We can't reveal his name as what he's doing is prohibited in India.

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

'Black money'

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 sports betting cash is directed towards cricket.

Without any legal opportunity, punters place bets utilizing their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can bank on anything related to the cricket match, from who is winning to the highest private run scorer.

The majority of these transactions involve so-called "black cash", which is money not declared to the taxman.

The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any sort of gaming in India, but unlike in the US which has a law restricting internet gaming, there is nothing comparable here.

And overseas sports betting business are utilizing this loophole to lure Indians. Although there are no online wagering operators based out of India, a lot people have signed up accounts with overseas firms.

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

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

Calls for legalisation

The clamour to legalise sports betting in cricket has grown after a panel selected by India's Supreme Court proposed the idea, stating it would assist secure down on corruption in the nation's preferred sport.

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was established to recommend 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.
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Two franchises have been prohibited for two years after some players and team authorities were condemned of repairing parts of the match at the behest of bookmakers.

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

Even bettors feel that legalising sports betting is a relocation in the ideal direction.

"I don't mind paying some cash out my revenues, as long as I can gamble openly," states our gambler.

It would likewise open a big company chance for certified bookmakers and worldwide online sports betting companies to set up operations in India.

And it would assist restrict match repairing in cricket and other sports betting, argue numerous, by helping make transactions involved in gambling more transparent.

"If you work along with wagering business, you will have a very reliable approach of stamping out match fixing," says George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering site, India Bet.

But lots of likewise think, that the taxes levied on the gambler and the bookmaker will need to be reasonable to make it attractive enough for them to gamble lawfully.

However, there are limitations.

"Definitely there will be illegal wagering because (some) individuals wouldn't wish to leave an audit path by getting in the white market," states Mr Oborne.

He adds that individuals who utilize unaccounted cash to put huge bets will never ever bet lawfully.

Approval concern

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

"Despite the fact that many individuals are included in some sort of gaming - it's still a controversial concern for numerous," 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 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 backed by an official panel for the first time, at least a debate has sparked around a subject - which previously was thought about a taboo.