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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 press reporter
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It is the last over of the match, with India needing 17 runs to win against Australia.
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In his two-bedroom house located in main Mumbai, a middle-aged male is seeing 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 talk about the match however to keep revising his bet.

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

"I believe 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 finish.

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

For more than three years he's been wagering on cricket matches. We can't reveal his name as what he's doing is unlawful in India.

Besides horse racing, sports betting wagering of any kind is not allowed India. Despite that, illegal sports betting distributes grow in the nation.

'Black money'

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

With no legal avenue, punters place bets using their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can wager on anything related to the cricket match, from who is winning to the greatest private run scorer.

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

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

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

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

But despite this, it is "offline gambling", done through phone calls which dominate the marketplace.

Calls for legalisation

The clamour to legalise wagering in cricket has actually grown after a panel designated by India's Supreme Court proposed the idea, stating it would assist clamp down on corruption in the nation's favourite sport.

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was set up to recommend modifications in the functioning of India's cricket regulatory body, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), after the 2013 Indian Premier League wagering scandal came to light.
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Two franchises have actually been banned for two years after some gamers and group officials were discovered guilty of fixing parts of the match at the behest of bookies.

The panel likewise argues that legalised wagering will generate tax profits for the exchequer that could total up to $2bn a year.

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

"I don't mind paying some cash out my earnings, as long as I can gamble openly," states our cricket gambler.
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It would also open a substantial organization opportunity for certified bookmakers and worldwide online sports betting business to establish operations in India.

And it would help restrict match repairing in cricket and other sports betting, argue many, by assisting make deals included in sports betting more transparent.

"If you work alongside sports betting companies, you will have a really effective approach of marking out match fixing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering website, India Bet.

But many also believe, that the taxes levied on the gambler and the bookmaker will have to be sensible to make it appealing enough for them to gamble lawfully.

However, there are constraints.

"Definitely there will be prohibited wagering because (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 put big 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 concept to sell.

"Despite the fact that many people are included in some sort of gambling - it's still a questionable problem for numerous," states our unnamed punter.

And considered that India has a federal structural - each state will need to also pass a separate law to legalise sports betting gambling in their territory.
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"The procedure is so long and difficult that it will take years," states Mr Ranina."That's why, we are cynical about this ending up being a reality anytime quickly."

Yet with the idea having actually been backed by an official panel for the first time, a minimum of a dispute has fired up around a subject - which until now was considered a taboo.