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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 go to win versus Australia.

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

He has actually made more than 10 employ the last 30 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 to face the last over he's changed his mind.

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

And a few minutes later his forecast 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 decades he's been wagering on cricket matches. We can't reveal his name as what he's doing is illegal in India.

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

'Black cash'

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

Without any legal avenue, punters position bets utilizing their phones by making calls to bookies. Gamblers can bank on anything associated to the cricket match, from who is winning to the highest private run scorer.

Most 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 gambling in India, but unlike in the US which has a law restricting web sports betting, there is nothing similar here.

And overseas wagering business are utilizing this loophole to lure 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 firms.

"Legally you can escape [with this], as the law is unclear for online gambling," states Mumbai- based legal representative HP Ranina.

But regardless of this, it is "offline gambling", done through telephone call which control the market.

Require legalisation

The clamour to legalise wagering in cricket has actually grown after a panel selected by India's Supreme Court proposed the concept, saying it would assist clamp 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 been prohibited for 2 years after some gamers and group authorities were found guilty of repairing parts of the match at the behest of bookies.

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

Even gamblers feel that legalising sports betting is a move in the right instructions.

"I don't mind paying some cash out my profits, as long as I can gamble publicly," says our cricket bettor.

It would likewise open a big company chance for certified bookies and worldwide online wagering business to set up operations in India.

And it would help limit match repairing in cricket and other sports betting, argue lots of, by assisting make transactions associated with gambling more transparent.

"If you work along with sports betting business, you will have an extremely reliable method of marking out match fixing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting site, India Bet.

But numerous also think, that the taxes imposed on the gambler and the bookie will need to be affordable to make it attractive enough for them to gamble lawfully.

However, there are limitations.

"Definitely there will be unlawful wagering because (some) individuals would not desire to leave an audit path by getting in the white market," says Mr Oborne.

He adds that individuals who utilize unaccounted money to place big bets will never ever gamble legally.

Approval concern

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

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

And provided that India has a federal structural - each state will need to also pass a separate law to legalise sports betting in their territory.
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"The process is so long and difficult that it will take years," says Mr Ranina."That's why, we are cynical about this coming true anytime soon."

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