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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 needing 17 runs to win versus Australia.

In his two-bedroom home situated in main Mumbai, a middle-aged male is enjoying the video game, nervously. He's sitting on the edge of his grey colour couch with his mobile phone glued to his best hand.

He has made more than 10 contact the last thirty minutes - not to go over the match but to keep revising his bet.

Five minutes previously his cash was on Australia, but now as the Indian batsman prepares yourself to face 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 couple of 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 three years he's been banking on cricket matches. We can't reveal his name as what he's doing is unlawful in India.

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

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

Without any legal opportunity, punters place bets utilizing their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can wager on anything associated to the cricket match, from who is winning to the highest individual run scorer.

The majority of these transactions involve so-called "black cash", which is money not stated to the taxman.

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

And offshore wagering companies are using this loophole to lure Indians. Even though there are no online sports betting operators based out of India, a lot individuals have registered accounts with offshore companies.

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

But in spite of this, it is "offline gambling", done through telephone call which dominate the market.

Require legalisation

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

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was established to recommend changes in the functioning 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 been prohibited for 2 years after some players and team authorities were discovered guilty of fixing parts of the match at the request of bookmakers.

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

Even gamblers feel that wagering is a relocation in the best instructions.

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

It would likewise open a huge organization opportunity for licensed bookies and global online wagering companies to set up operations in India.

And it would assist restrict match fixing in cricket and other sports betting, argue lots of, by assisting make transactions associated with sports betting more transparent.

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

But many likewise believe, that the taxes imposed on the bettor and the bookie will have to be affordable to make it appealing enough for them to bet legally.

However, there are limitations.

"Definitely there will be prohibited sports betting since (some) people wouldn't wish to leave an audit path by entering the white market," says Mr Oborne.

He adds that individuals who utilize unaccounted cash to position huge bets will never bet lawfully.

Approval concern

For sports betting to be legalised, parliamentary approval will be needed to produce a brand-new law, and politically this will be a difficult concept to offer.

"Although lots of individuals are included in some sort of sports betting - it's still a controversial concern for lots of," states our unnamed punter.

And given that India has a federal structural - each state will have to likewise pass a separate law to legalise sports betting gambling in their area.
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"The procedure 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 reality anytime quickly."

Yet with the concept having actually been backed by an official panel for the first time, a minimum of a debate has ignited around a topic - which previously was considered a taboo.
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