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Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting in India

Published

5 February 2016

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By Sameer Hashmi

Mumbai Business reporter

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

In his two-bedroom house situated in central Mumbai, a middle-aged guy is watching the video game, nervously. He's resting 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 talk about the match but to keep modifying his bet.

Five minutes earlier his cash was on Australia, and now as the Indian batsman prepares yourself to face the last over he's altered his mind.

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

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

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

For more than 3 years he's been sports betting on cricket matches. We can't reveal 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 sports betting distributes prosper in the country.

'Black money'

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

With no legal opportunity, punters put bets using their phones by making calls to bookmakers. can bank on anything related to the cricket match, from who is winning to the highest specific run scorer.

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

The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any type of gaming in India, however unlike in the US which has a law prohibiting web gaming, there is nothing similar here.

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

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

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

Require legalisation

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

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was established to recommend modifications in the performance 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 been banned for 2 years after some players and team officials were condemned of fixing parts of the match at the behest of bookmakers.

The panel likewise argues that legalised wagering will bring in tax earnings for the exchequer that might amount to $2bn a year.

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

"I do not mind paying some money out my profits, as long as I can gamble openly," states our cricket bettor.

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

And it would assist restrict match fixing in cricket and other sports betting, argue numerous, by assisting make deals associated with sports betting more transparent.

"If you work together with wagering companies, you will have an extremely efficient method of stamping out match repairing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering website, India Bet.

But numerous also believe, that the taxes levied on the gambler and the bookie will need to be affordable to make it attractive enough for them to bet legally.

However, there are constraints.

"Definitely there will be unlawful sports betting since (some) individuals wouldn't wish to leave an audit path by going into the white market," states Mr Oborne.

He includes that people who utilize unaccounted cash to position big bets will never bet lawfully.

Approval question

For sports betting gambling to be legalised, parliamentary approval will be needed to develop a brand-new law, and politically this will be a hard concept to offer.

"Although lots of individuals are associated with some sort of gaming - it's still a controversial concern for lots of," says our unnamed punter.

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

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

Yet with the idea having actually been backed by an official panel for the very first time, at least a debate has actually fired up around a subject - which previously was thought about a taboo.