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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 requiring 17 go to win against Australia.

In his two-bedroom house situated in central Mumbai, a middle-aged male is enjoying the video 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 30 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 gets all set to deal with the last over he's changed his mind.

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

And a couple of minutes later his prediction comes real, as India wins the match in a nail-biting surface.

"I have actually made $200 today," he states with a childlike glee.
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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 wagering of any kind is not allowed in India. Despite that, illegal sports betting syndicates thrive in the nation.

'Black cash'

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

Without any legal avenue, punters position bets utilizing their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can bet on anything associated to the cricket match, from who is winning to the highest private run scorer.

Most of these deals involve so-called "black cash", which is cash not declared to the taxman.

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

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

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

But in spite of this, it is "offline gambling", done through phone calls which control the marketplace.

Require legalisation

The clamour to legalise wagering in cricket has grown after a panel designated by India's Supreme Court proposed the concept, stating it would help secure down on corruption in the country's favourite sport.

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

Two franchises have been banned for two years after some gamers and group authorities were condemned of fixing parts of the match at the behest of bookies.

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

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

"I don't mind paying some money out my profits, as long as I can gamble publicly," states our cricket bettor.

It would likewise open a opportunity for certified bookies and international online wagering companies to establish operations in India.

And it would help limit match fixing in cricket and other sports betting, argue lots of, by assisting make transactions associated with gambling more transparent.

"If you work alongside wagering companies, you will have an extremely efficient method of marking out match repairing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering site, India Bet.

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

However, there are restrictions.

"Definitely there will be illegal sports betting due to the fact that (some) individuals would not wish to leave an audit path by getting in the white market," says Mr Oborne.

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

Approval concern

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

"Despite the fact that lots of people are associated with some sort of gaming - it's still a controversial concern for lots of," states our unnamed punter.

And offered that India has a federal structural - each state will have to likewise pass a separate law to legalise sports betting gambling 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 negative about this ending up being a truth anytime quickly."

Yet with the idea having actually been endorsed by an official panel for the very first time, at least a dispute has actually sparked around a subject - which till now was considered a taboo.
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