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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 reporter

It is the last over of the cricket match, with India needing 17 runs to win versus Australia.

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

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

Five minutes previously his cash was on Australia, and now as the Indian batsman prepares to face the last over he's altered his mind.

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

And a couple of minutes later his prediction comes to life, as India wins the match in a nail-biting surface.

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

For more than three decades he's been banking 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 in India. Despite that, unlawful sports betting syndicates 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.

With no legal opportunity, punters position bets using their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can bet on anything associated to the cricket match, from who is winning to the greatest private run scorer.

Most of these deals include so-called "black money", which is money 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 gaming, there is nothing similar here.

And offshore sports betting companies are utilizing this loophole to draw Indians. Despite the fact that there are no online sports betting operators based out of India, a lot people have actually registered accounts with overseas firms.

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

But in spite of this, it is "offline gambling", done through call which dominate the marketplace.

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 idea, saying it would help secure down on corruption in the country's preferred sport.

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was set up to suggest modifications in the functioning of India's cricket body, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), after the 2013 Indian Premier League wagering scandal came to light.

Two franchises have actually been prohibited for two years after some players and group authorities were discovered guilty of fixing parts of the match at the request of bookies.

The panel also argues that legalised wagering will generate tax profits for the exchequer that might total up to $2bn a year.

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

"I don't mind paying some cash out my profits, as long as I can bet publicly," states our cricket gambler.

It would likewise open a big business chance for certified bookies and international online wagering business to establish operations in India.

And it would assist limit match fixing in cricket and other sports betting, argue numerous, by assisting make deals associated with gambling more transparent.

"If you work together with wagering business, you will have a very effective approach of marking out match repairing," says George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting site, India Bet.

But many likewise think, that the taxes levied on the gambler and the bookie will need to be affordable to make it appealing enough for them to bet legally.

However, there are restrictions.

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

He includes that people who utilize unaccounted money to place big bets will never ever gamble lawfully.

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 tough idea to offer.

"Even however lots of people are associated with some sort of gambling - it's still a questionable concern for many," states our unnamed punter.

And considered that India has a federal structural - each state will need to likewise pass a different law to legalise sports betting in their area.
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"The procedure is so long and difficult that it will take years," states Mr Ranina."That's why, we are cynical about this coming true anytime quickly."

Yet with the idea having been endorsed by a main panel for the very first time, at least an argument has ignited around a topic - which previously was thought about a taboo.
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