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Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting wagering 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 needing 17 runs to win against Australia.

In his two-bedroom house located in central Mumbai, a middle-aged male is watching the game, nervously. He's resting 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 30 minutes - not to go over the match but to keep modifying his bet.

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

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

And a few minutes later his prediction becomes a reality, 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 decades 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 wagering of any kind is not permitted in India. Despite that, illegal sports betting distributes flourish in the country.

'Black cash'

According to the Doha-based International Centre for sports betting Security, India's illegal market is worth 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 bookies. Gamblers can bet on anything associated to the cricket match, from who is winning to the greatest individual run scorer.

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

The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any kind of gambling in India, however unlike in the US which has a law prohibiting internet gambling, there is absolutely nothing comparable here.

And offshore sports betting business are using this loophole to draw Indians. Despite the fact that there are no online sports betting operators based out of India, a lot people have actually registered accounts with offshore companies.

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

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

Calls for 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 assist secure down on corruption in the nation's preferred sport.

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was set up to recommend modifications 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 actually been prohibited for 2 years after some players and team officials were found guilty of repairing parts of the match at the request of bookmakers.

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

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

"I do not mind paying some cash out my earnings, as long as I can gamble publicly," says our cricket gambler.

It would also open a substantial organization opportunity for licensed bookmakers and global online wagering companies to establish operations in India.

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

"If you work alongside sports betting companies, you will have a very effective technique of marking out match repairing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting site, India Bet.

But lots of also believe, that the taxes levied on the gambler and the bookmaker will have to be affordable to make it appealing enough for them to bet legally.

However, there are restrictions.

"Definitely there will be prohibited sports betting because (some) individuals wouldn't want to leave an audit trail by entering the white market," says Mr Oborne.

He adds 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 required to produce a new law, and politically this will be a tough idea to offer.

"Despite the fact that lots of people are included in some sort of gambling - it's still a controversial issue for lots of," states 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 territory.

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

Yet with the idea having been endorsed by an official panel for the very first time, at least a dispute has ignited around a subject - which up until now was thought about a taboo.
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