Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting in India
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Published
5 February 2016
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By Sameer Hashmi
Mumbai Business reporter
It is the last over of the cricket match, with India needing 17 go to win against Australia.
In his two-bedroom house located in central Mumbai, a middle-aged guy is viewing the game, nervously. He's sitting on the edge of his grey colour sofa 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 talk about the match however to keep modifying his bet.
Five minutes earlier his cash was on Australia, however now 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 tells his bookie on the phone.
And a couple of minutes later on his forecast comes to life, as India wins the match in a nail-biting finish.
"I have made $200 today," he says with a childlike glee.
For more than 3 years he's been wagering on cricket matches. We can't expose his name as what he's doing is illegal in India.
Besides horse racing, sports betting of any kind is not allowed India. Despite that, illegal wagering distributes flourish in the country.
'Black cash'
According to the Doha-based International Centre for sports betting Security, India's prohibited sports betting market is worth some $150bn a year. And much of that gambling 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 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 type of sports betting in India, however unlike in the US which has a law restricting web gambling, there is absolutely nothing comparable here.
And overseas wagering business are using this loophole to lure Indians. Even though there are no online wagering operators based out of India, a lot individuals have signed up accounts with overseas firms.
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"Legally you can escape [with this], as the law is uncertain for online sports betting," states Mumbai- based lawyer HP Ranina.
But in spite of this, it is "offline gambling", done through telephone call which dominate the market.
Calls for legalisation
The to legalise sports betting in cricket has actually grown after a panel designated by India's Supreme Court proposed the idea, saying it would assist secure down on corruption in the country's favourite sport.
The Justice RM Lodha Commission was established to recommend modifications 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 prohibited for two years after some gamers and group officials were discovered guilty of fixing parts of the match at the wish of bookmakers.
The panel also 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 wagering is a relocation in the ideal direction.
"I don't mind paying some money out my revenues, as long as I can bet publicly," states our cricket gambler.
It would also open a big organization opportunity for certified bookies and global online sports betting companies to establish operations in India.
And it would assist restrict match fixing in cricket and other sports betting, argue many, by helping make deals associated with gambling more transparent.
"If you work along with sports betting business, you will have a very efficient method of stamping out match fixing," says George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering site, India Bet.
But many also think, that the taxes imposed on the gambler and the bookmaker will need to be reasonable to make it appealing enough for them to gamble lawfully.
However, there are constraints.
"Definitely there will be prohibited sports betting since (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 position big bets will never bet legally.
Approval question
For sports betting to be legalised, parliamentary approval will be needed to produce a brand-new law, and politically this will be a hard concept to offer.
"Even however numerous people are included in some sort of gaming - it's still a questionable concern for many," states our unnamed punter.
And considered that India has a federal structural - each state will have to also pass a different law to legalise sports betting in their territory.
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"The process is so long and challenging that it will take years," says Mr Ranina."That's why, we are cynical about this coming true anytime quickly."
Yet with the idea having been backed by a main panel for the very first time, at least a debate has actually sparked around a subject - which previously was thought about a taboo.
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For Sports Gambling to Be Legalised
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