For Sports Gambling to Be Legalised
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Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting wagering 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 home located in central Mumbai, a middle-aged male is enjoying the game, nervously. He's sitting on the edge of his grey colour couch with his cellphone glued to his right-hand man.

He has made more than 10 employ the last thirty minutes - not to talk about the match however to keep modifying his bet.

Five minutes previously his money was on Australia, however now as the Indian batsman prepares yourself to deal with the last over he's altered his mind.

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

And a couple of minutes later on his forecast becomes a reality, 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.

Other than horse racing, sports betting wagering of any kind is not allowed India. Despite that, unlawful wagering distributes grow in the country.

'Black cash'

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

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

The majority of these deals include so-called "black money", which is money not stated to the taxman.

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

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

"Legally you can escape [with this], as the law is unclear for online gaming," says Mumbai- based lawyer HP Ranina.

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

Calls for legalisation

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

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was set up to recommend changes in the 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 actually been prohibited for 2 years after some players and group authorities were found guilty of fixing parts of the match at the behest of bookies.

The panel also argues that legalised sports betting will generate tax incomes 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 do not mind paying some cash out my earnings, as long as I can gamble openly," says our cricket bettor.

It would also open a substantial company opportunity for certified bookmakers and international online wagering business to establish operations in India.

And it would help restrict match fixing in cricket and other sports betting, argue many, by helping make transactions associated with gambling more transparent.

"If you work along with sports betting business, you will have an extremely effective approach of stamping out match fixing," says George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering website, India Bet.

But many likewise think, that the taxes levied on the bettor and the bookie will need to be sensible to make it appealing enough for them to bet legally.

However, there are limitations.

"Definitely there will be illegal sports betting due to the fact that (some) individuals would not desire to leave an audit path by going into the white market," states Mr Oborne.

He includes that individuals who use unaccounted cash to position huge bets will never ever bet legally.

Approval question

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

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

And offered that India has a federal structural - each state will need to likewise pass a different law to legalise sports betting in their area.
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"The procedure is so long and tricky that it will take years," states Mr Ranina."That's why, we are negative about this coming true anytime soon."

Yet with the concept having been backed by a main panel for the first time, a minimum of a dispute has actually ignited around a subject - which up until now was thought about a taboo.