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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 needing 17 go to win versus Australia.

In his two-bedroom home located in central Mumbai, a middle-aged guy is watching the video game, nervously. He's resting on the edge of his grey colour couch with his smart phone glued to his ideal hand.

He has actually made more than 10 calls in the last thirty minutes - not to talk about the match but to keep revising his bet.

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

"I think India is winning, make the change," he tells his bookie on the phone.

And a few minutes later his forecast comes true, as India wins the match in a nail-biting finish.

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

For more than three 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 wagering of any kind is not allowed India. Despite that, illegal wagering distributes thrive in the country.

'Black cash'

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

Without any legal avenue, punters position bets utilizing their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can wager on anything related to the cricket match, from who is winning 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 type of gambling in India, however unlike in the US which has a law prohibiting web sports betting, there is nothing comparable here.

And offshore sports betting business are using this loophole to draw Indians. Despite the fact that there are no online sports betting operators based out of India, a lot individuals have signed up accounts with offshore firms.

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

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

legalisation

The clamour to legalise sports betting in cricket has grown after a panel selected by India's Supreme Court proposed the concept, saying it would assist clamp down on corruption in the nation's favourite sport.

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was set up to recommend changes 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 came to light.

Two franchises have actually been banned for two years after some gamers and team officials were discovered guilty of fixing parts of the match at the request of bookmakers.

The panel also argues that legalised sports betting 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 move in the right instructions.

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

It would likewise open a big organization opportunity for licensed bookies and worldwide online sports betting companies to set up operations in India.

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

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

But lots of also believe, that the taxes levied on the gambler and the bookie will need to be reasonable to make it appealing enough for them to bet legally.

However, there are restrictions.

"Definitely there will be unlawful sports betting because (some) individuals would not wish to leave an audit trail by going into the white market," states Mr Oborne.

He includes that individuals who utilize unaccounted cash to place huge bets will never ever gamble lawfully.

Approval concern

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

"Even though many individuals are involved in some sort of gaming - it's still a questionable 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 gambling in their territory.
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"The process is so long and challenging that it will take years," states Mr Ranina."That's why, we are negative about this coming true anytime quickly."

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