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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

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

In his two-bedroom home located in main Mumbai, a middle-aged guy is viewing the video game, nervously. He's resting on the edge of his grey colour couch 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 discuss the match but to keep modifying his bet.

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

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

And a few minutes later his forecast comes to life, as India wins the match in a nail-biting surface.

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

For more than 3 years he's been sports betting 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 permitted in India. Despite that, illegal sports betting distributes prosper in the nation.

'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.

With no legal opportunity, punters put bets using their phones by making calls to bookies. Gamblers can bank on anything related to the cricket match, from who is winning to the highest specific run scorer.

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

The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any sort of gambling in India, however unlike in the US which has a law forbiding web gaming, there is nothing similar here.

And overseas sports betting business are using this loophole to entice Indians. Although there are no online sports betting operators based out of India, a lot people have registered accounts with offshore firms.

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

But in spite of this, it is "offline sports betting", done through call which dominate the marketplace.

Require legalisation

The clamour to legalise wagering in cricket has grown after a panel appointed by India's Supreme Court proposed the idea, saying it would help secure down on corruption in the nation's preferred sport.

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was set up to suggest changes 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 actually been banned for 2 years after some players and team officials were found guilty of repairing parts of the match at the request of bookies.

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

Even gamblers feel that legalising sports betting wagering is a relocation in the best direction.

"I don't mind paying some money out my revenues, as long as I can gamble publicly," states our cricket gambler.

It would also open a big service chance for licensed bookmakers and international online wagering companies to establish operations in India.

And it would help restrict match fixing in cricket and other sports betting, argue lots of, by helping make transactions included in gambling more transparent.

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

But lots of likewise think, that the taxes imposed on the bettor and the bookmaker will need to be sensible to make it appealing enough for them to gamble lawfully.

However, there are limitations.

"Definitely there will be prohibited wagering because (some) people would not wish to leave an audit trail by entering the white market," states Mr Oborne.

He includes that individuals who utilize unaccounted cash to place big bets will never gamble 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 difficult idea to sell.

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

And considered 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 process is so long and difficult that it will take years," says Mr Ranina."That's why, we are cynical about this ending up being a truth anytime quickly."

Yet with the concept having actually been endorsed by a main panel for the very first time, at least a dispute has fired up around a topic - which previously was considered a taboo.
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