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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 requiring 17 go to win versus Australia.

In his two-bedroom home located in central Mumbai, a middle-aged male is seeing the video game, nervously. He's sitting on the edge of his grey colour sofa with his smart phone glued to his best hand.

He has actually made more than 10 employ the last thirty minutes - not to discuss the match but to keep revising his bet.

Five minutes previously his cash was on Australia, now as the Indian batsman gets ready to deal with the last over he's altered his mind.

"I think India is winning, make the modification," he tells his bookmaker on the phone.

And a few minutes later on his prediction becomes a reality, as India wins the match in a nail-biting finish.

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

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

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

'Black money'

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 sports betting cash is directed towards cricket.

With no legal avenue, punters position bets using their phones by making calls to bookies. Gamblers can bet on anything related to the cricket match, from who is winning to the greatest individual 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 kind of sports betting in India, but unlike in the US which has a law forbiding web sports betting, there is nothing comparable here.

And offshore sports betting companies are using this loophole to tempt Indians. Although there are no online wagering operators based out of India, a lot people have registered accounts with offshore firms.

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

But despite this, it is "offline gaming", done through telephone call which dominate the marketplace.

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

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was set up 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 sports betting scandal came to light.

Two franchises have actually been prohibited for 2 years after some players and team officials were condemned of fixing parts of the match at the request of bookies.

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

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

"I don't mind paying some cash out my earnings, as long as I can bet openly," states our cricket bettor.

It would also open a big business opportunity for licensed bookmakers and international online sports betting business to set up operations in India.

And it would assist limit match repairing in cricket and other sports betting, argue lots of, by assisting make deals involved in sports betting more transparent.
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"If you work together with wagering companies, you will have a really effective approach of stamping out match fixing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering site, India Bet.

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

However, there are restrictions.

"Definitely there will be illegal sports betting since (some) people wouldn't wish to leave an audit path by going into the white market," states Mr Oborne.

He adds that individuals who utilize unaccounted money to huge bets will never ever bet legally.
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Approval concern

For sports betting gambling to be legalised, parliamentary approval will be required to create a new law, and politically this will be a hard idea to offer.

"Although many individuals are involved in some sort of gambling - it's still a controversial problem for lots of," states our unnamed punter.

And considered that India has a federal structural - each state will need to also pass a separate law to legalise sports betting in their territory.
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"The process is so long and tricky that it will take years," states Mr Ranina."That's why, we are cynical about this coming true anytime soon."

Yet with the concept having been backed by a main panel for the very first time, a minimum of a debate has ignited around a topic - which until now was thought about a taboo.
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