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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 versus Australia.

In his two-bedroom house situated in main Mumbai, a middle-aged male is viewing the game, nervously. He's resting on the edge of his grey colour couch with his cellphone glued to his best hand.

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

Five minutes earlier his money was on Australia, today as the Indian batsman prepares to deal with the last over he's changed his mind.

"I believe India is winning, make the modification," he tells his bookmaker on the phone.

And a few minutes later on his prediction comes to life, 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 expose his name as what he's doing is prohibited in India.

Aside from horse racing, sports betting wagering of any kind is not allowed India. Despite that, unlawful sports betting syndicates grow in the nation.

'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 avenue, punters position bets utilizing their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can bank on anything associated to the cricket match, from who is winning to the greatest specific run scorer.

Most 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 sports betting in India, but unlike in the US which has a law restricting internet gaming, there is absolutely nothing similar here.

And offshore wagering business are using this loophole to tempt Indians. Although there are no online wagering operators based out of India, a lot individuals have registered accounts with offshore firms.

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

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

Calls for legalisation

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

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was set up to recommend modifications 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 came to light.

Two franchises have been banned for two years after some players and team authorities were condemned of fixing parts of the match at the request of bookies.
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The panel also argues that legalised wagering will bring in tax earnings for the exchequer that might total up to $2bn a year.

Even gamblers feel that legalising sports betting wagering is a move in the ideal direction.

"I do not mind paying some cash out my revenues, as long as I can bet publicly," says our cricket bettor.

It would also open a huge company opportunity for licensed bookies and international online sports betting business to establish operations in India.
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And it would help restrict match fixing in cricket and other sports betting, argue lots of, by assisting make deals associated with gambling more transparent.

"If you work alongside sports betting companies, you will have a very effective method of marking out match repairing," says George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting site, India Bet.
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But lots of likewise think, that the taxes imposed on the gambler and the bookie will have to be sensible to make it attractive enough for them to bet lawfully.

However, there are constraints.

"Definitely there will be illegal sports betting because (some) people wouldn't want to leave an audit path by going into the white market," says Mr Oborne.
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He includes that people who use unaccounted cash to put huge bets will never gamble legally.

Approval concern

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

"Despite the fact that many people are involved in some sort of sports betting - it's still a questionable concern for lots of," states our unnamed punter.

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

"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 soon."

Yet with the concept having been backed by an official panel for the first time, a minimum of an argument has sparked around a topic - which previously was thought about a taboo.