For Sports Gambling To Be Legalised

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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 reporter


It is the last over of the cricket match, with India requiring 17 runs 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 couch with his smart phone glued to his best hand.


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


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


And a couple of minutes later his prediction becomes a reality, as India wins the match in a nail-biting finish.


"I have actually made $200 today," he states with a childlike 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.


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


'Black cash'


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


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


The majority of these deals involve so-called "black money", which is cash 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 prohibiting web gaming, there is nothing comparable here.


And overseas wagering companies are using this loophole to tempt Indians. Although there are no online wagering operators based out of India, a lot people have registered accounts with overseas companies.


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


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


Require 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 help clamp down on corruption in the nation's preferred sport.


The Justice RM Lodha Commission was established to recommend modifications in the functioning of India's cricket regulative body, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), after the 2013 Indian Premier League wagering scandal came to light.


Two franchises have been prohibited for 2 years after some gamers and team authorities were found guilty of repairing parts of the match at the request of bookmakers.


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


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


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


It would also open a huge service opportunity for licensed bookmakers and worldwide online wagering business to establish operations in India.


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


"If you work together with sports betting business, you will have a very reliable method of marking out match repairing," says George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting site, India Bet.


But many likewise think, that the taxes imposed on the bettor and the bookmaker will need to be reasonable to make it appealing enough for them to bet lawfully.


However, there are restrictions.


"Definitely there will be unlawful wagering due to the fact that (some) people wouldn't wish to leave an audit path by getting in the white market," says Mr Oborne.


He includes that individuals who utilize unaccounted money to position huge bets will never bet lawfully.


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 tough idea to offer.


"Despite the fact that numerous people are included in some sort of sports betting - it's still a questionable concern for many," says 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 territory.
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"The process is so long and difficult 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 idea having been endorsed by an official panel for the very first time, at least a dispute has actually fired up around a topic - which until now was considered a taboo.
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