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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 go to win versus Australia.

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

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 cash was on Australia, however now as the Indian batsman prepares yourself to face the last over he's changed his mind.

"I think India is winning, make the modification," he informs his bookie on the phone.

And a few minutes later on his prediction comes real, as India wins the match in a nail-biting finish.
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"I have made $200 today," he says with a childish glee.

For more than 3 decades he's been banking on cricket matches. We can't expose his name as what he's doing is illegal in India.

Other than horse racing, sports betting of any kind is not allowed India. Despite that, prohibited wagering syndicates flourish in the nation.
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'Black cash'

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

Without any legal opportunity, 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 greatest private run scorer.

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

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

And overseas sports betting business are using this loophole to draw Indians. Although there are no online wagering operators based out of India, a lot individuals have actually signed up accounts with offshore firms.

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

But in spite of this, it is "offline gaming", done through telephone call which control the marketplace.

Require legalisation

The clamour to legalise wagering in cricket has actually grown after a panel appointed by India's Supreme Court proposed the idea, saying it would help clamp down on corruption in the nation'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 came to light.
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Two franchises have been banned for 2 years after some players and team officials were discovered guilty of repairing parts of the match at the wish of bookies.

The panel likewise argues that legalised wagering will generate tax earnings for the exchequer that could amount to $2bn a year.

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

"I do not mind paying some cash out my profits, as long as I can gamble openly," states our cricket gambler.
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It would likewise open a huge company opportunity for certified bookmakers and worldwide online sports betting business to set up operations in India.

And it would help limit match fixing in cricket and other sports betting, argue lots of, by assisting make transactions included in sports betting more transparent.

"If you work alongside sports betting business, you will have an extremely reliable approach of marking out match repairing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting site, India Bet.

But numerous likewise believe, that the taxes levied on the bettor and the bookmaker will need to be sensible to make it attractive enough for them to bet legally.

However, there are restrictions.

"Definitely there will be illegal wagering since (some) individuals wouldn't desire to leave an audit trail by getting in the white market," says Mr Oborne.

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

Approval concern

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

"Despite the fact that lots of people are associated with some sort of sports betting - it's still a controversial problem for many," states our unnamed punter.

And considered that India has a federal structural - each state will have to likewise pass a different law to legalise sports betting in their area.

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

Yet with the having been endorsed by an official panel for the first time, at least a debate has fired up around a subject - which up until now was thought about a taboo.