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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 man is watching the video game, nervously. He's sitting on the edge of his grey colour sofa with his cellphone glued to his best hand.

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

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

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

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

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

For more than three years he's been wagering on cricket matches. We can't expose 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 sports betting distributes thrive in the nation.

'Black cash'

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

Without any legal avenue, punters place bets utilizing their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can bank 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 declared to the taxman.

The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any kind of sports betting in India, however unlike in the US which has a law restricting web gaming, there is absolutely nothing comparable here.

And offshore sports betting 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 signed up accounts with overseas firms.

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

But regardless of this, it is "offline sports betting", done through telephone call 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, stating it would help clamp down on corruption in the country'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 came to light.

Two franchises have been banned for two years after some gamers and group authorities were condemned of repairing parts of the match at the behest of bookies.

The panel likewise argues that will bring in tax incomes for the exchequer that might total up to $2bn a year.

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

"I do not mind paying some cash out my earnings, as long as I can gamble publicly," says our cricket bettor.
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It would also open a substantial company chance for licensed bookies and international online sports betting companies to set up operations in India.

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

"If you work alongside wagering companies, you will have a really reliable method of marking out match repairing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering site, India Bet.

But numerous also believe, that the taxes imposed on the bettor and the bookmaker will have to be sensible to make it appealing enough for them to gamble legally.

However, there are restrictions.

"Definitely there will be prohibited wagering since (some) individuals wouldn't wish to leave an audit trail by entering the white market," states Mr Oborne.

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

Approval concern

For sports betting to be legalised, parliamentary approval will be needed to create a brand-new law, and politically this will be a difficult idea to sell.

"Although many individuals are involved in some sort of gambling - it's still a questionable issue for numerous," says 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 in their area.

"The process is so long and challenging that it will take years," states Mr Ranina."That's why, we are cynical about this becoming a reality anytime soon."

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