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Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting wagering 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 requiring 17 runs to win against Australia.

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

He has made more than 10 calls in the last 30 minutes - not to go over the match however to keep modifying his bet.

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

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

And a couple of minutes later his forecast becomes a reality, 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.

Other than horse racing, sports betting wagering of any kind is not allowed India. Despite that, illegal wagering syndicates flourish in the country.

'Black money'

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 sports betting money is directed towards cricket.

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

Most of these transactions include so-called "black cash", which is money not declared to the taxman.

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

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

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

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

Calls for legalisation

The clamour to legalise sports betting in cricket has actually grown after a panel selected by India's Supreme Court proposed the concept, saying it would help secure down on corruption in the country's preferred 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 wagering scandal came to light.

Two franchises have been prohibited for two years after some players and team officials were found guilty of fixing parts of the match at the request of bookmakers.

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

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

"I do not mind paying some money out my profits, as long as I can gamble openly," states our cricket bettor.

It would likewise open a substantial service chance for licensed bookies and worldwide online wagering business to set up operations in India.

And it would help limit match fixing in cricket and other sports betting, argue many, by helping make deals included in sports betting more transparent.

"If you work together with wagering companies, you will have a really effective technique of marking out match fixing," says George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting website, India Bet.

But numerous also think, that the taxes levied on the gambler and the bookie will need to be reasonable to make it appealing enough for them to gamble legally.

However, there are limitations.

"Definitely there will be illegal sports betting because (some) people would not wish to leave an audit trail by getting in the white market," says Mr Oborne.

He includes that people who use unaccounted money to put huge bets will never bet lawfully.

Approval question

For sports betting gambling to be legalised, parliamentary approval will be required to develop a new law, and politically this will be a tough concept to offer.

"Despite the fact that many individuals are involved in some sort of gambling - it's still a questionable problem for lots of," states our unnamed punter.

And considered that India has a federal structural - each state will need to likewise pass a separate law to legalise sports betting gambling in their territory.
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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 truth anytime quickly."

Yet with the concept having been endorsed by an official panel for the first time, a minimum of a debate has actually sparked around a subject - which previously was thought about a taboo.
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