For Sports Gambling to Be Legalised
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Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting in India
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5 February 2016

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By Sameer Hashmi

Mumbai Business reporter

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

In his two-bedroom house situated in main Mumbai, a middle-aged guy is viewing the video game, nervously. He's resting on the edge of his grey colour sofa with his mobile phone glued to his right-hand man.

He has actually made more than 10 calls in the last 30 minutes - not to go over the match however to keep modifying his bet.

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

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

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

"I have made $200 today," he states 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.

Other than horse racing, sports betting of any kind is not allowed India. Despite that, illegal wagering syndicates thrive in the nation.

'Black cash'

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

Without any legal opportunity, punters position bets using their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can bet on anything associated to the cricket match, from who is winning to the greatest individual run scorer.

Most of these transactions include 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, however unlike in the US which has a law restricting internet gambling, there is absolutely nothing similar here.

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

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

But despite this, it is "offline gaming", done through call which control the marketplace.

Require legalisation

The clamour to legalise sports betting in cricket has actually grown after a panel designated by India's Supreme Court proposed the concept, saying it would help clamp down on 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 emerged.

Two franchises have been banned for two years after some players and team authorities were discovered guilty of fixing parts of the match at the request of bookies.

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

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

"I don't mind paying some cash out my profits, as long as I can bet openly," says our cricket bettor.
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It would also open a substantial business chance for licensed bookmakers and international online wagering companies to establish operations in India.

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

"If you work together with sports betting companies, you will have a very efficient technique of marking out match fixing," says George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting website, India Bet.
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But lots of also believe, that the taxes levied on the bettor and the bookmaker will have to be sensible to make it attractive enough for them to gamble lawfully.

However, there are restrictions.

"Definitely there will be unlawful sports betting since (some) people would not desire to leave an audit trail by going into the white market," states Mr Oborne.

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

Approval question

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

"Although many individuals are associated with some sort of gaming - it's still a controversial problem for many," states our unnamed punter.

And provided that India has a federal structural - each state will have to likewise pass a separate law to legalise sports betting gambling in their territory.
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"The procedure is so long and challenging that it will take years," says 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 very first time, at least an argument has actually fired up around a topic - which till now was thought about a taboo.
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