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Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting in India
5 February 2016
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By Sameer Hashmi
Mumbai Business reporter
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It is the last over of the cricket match, with India requiring 17 go to win against Australia.
In his two-bedroom house located in main Mumbai, a middle-aged man is viewing the video game, nervously. He's sitting on the edge of his grey colour couch with his cellphone glued to his right-hand man.
He has actually made more than 10 hire the last 30 minutes - not to discuss the match but to keep revising his bet.
Five minutes previously his cash was on Australia, today as the Indian batsman gets all set to face the last over he's changed his mind.
"I believe India is winning, make the change," he informs his bookmaker on the phone.
And a couple of minutes later on 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 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 prohibited in India.
Aside from horse racing, sports betting of any kind is not allowed India. Despite that, illegal wagering syndicates prosper in the country.
'Black money'
According to the Doha-based International Centre for sports betting Security, India's illegal sports betting wagering market deserves some $150bn a year. And much of that sports betting money is directed towards cricket.
Without any legal opportunity, punters position 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 greatest private run scorer.
Most of these deals include so-called "black cash", which is money not declared to the taxman.
The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any type of gambling in India, however unlike in the US which has a law prohibiting internet gaming, there is absolutely nothing comparable here.
And overseas wagering companies are using this loophole to draw Indians. Although there are no online sports betting operators based out of India, a lot people have signed up accounts with overseas firms.
"Legally you can escape [with this], as the law is unclear for online gaming," states Mumbai- based lawyer HP Ranina.
But in spite of this, it is "offline gaming", done through call which control the market.
Calls for legalisation
The clamour to legalise sports betting in cricket has actually grown after a panel appointed by India's Supreme the idea, saying it would help secure down on corruption in the country's favourite sport.
The Justice RM Lodha Commission was established to suggest 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 emerged.
Two franchises have been prohibited for two years after some players and team officials were condemned of repairing parts of the match at the behest of bookies.
The panel likewise argues that legalised wagering will bring in tax earnings for the exchequer that might total up to $2bn a year.
Even gamblers feel that legalising sports betting is a relocation in the right instructions.
"I don't mind paying some cash out my revenues, as long as I can bet openly," states our cricket bettor.
It would also open a substantial business chance for certified bookies and international online wagering companies to set up operations in India.
And it would help restrict match fixing in cricket and other sports betting, argue lots of, by assisting make transactions associated with sports betting more transparent.
"If you work alongside sports betting business, you will have a very reliable approach of marking out match repairing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting website, India Bet.
But many likewise believe, that the taxes imposed on the gambler and the bookmaker will need to be reasonable to make it attractive enough for them to gamble legally.
However, there are restrictions.
"Definitely there will be unlawful sports betting due to the fact that (some) individuals wouldn't wish to leave an audit path by going into the white market," states Mr Oborne.
He adds that individuals who use unaccounted cash to place huge bets will never ever gamble legally.
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 difficult concept to offer.
"Despite the fact that lots of people are associated with some sort of sports betting - it's still a controversial issue for many," says our unnamed punter.
And considered that India has a federal structural - each state will have to also pass a separate law to legalise sports betting in their territory.
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"The procedure is so long and challenging that it will take years," says Mr Ranina."That's why, we are negative about this coming true anytime quickly."
Yet with the concept having been backed by a main panel for the very first time, a minimum of a dispute has sparked around a topic - which up until now was thought about a taboo.
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For Sports Gambling to Be Legalised
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