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Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting wagering in India
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Published

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 runs to win against Australia.

In his two-bedroom house situated in central Mumbai, a middle-aged man is viewing the video game, nervously. He's resting on the edge of his grey colour couch with his smart phone glued to his right-hand man.

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

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

"I believe India is winning, make the change," he informs his bookmaker on the phone.
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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 years he's been banking on cricket matches. We can't expose his name as what he's doing is prohibited in India.
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Other than horse racing, sports betting wagering of any kind is not allowed India. Despite that, illegal sports betting distributes thrive in the nation.

'Black money'

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

With no legal avenue, punters put 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 greatest specific run scorer.

The majority of these deals include so-called "black money", which is cash not stated to the taxman.

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

And overseas wagering business are using this loophole to tempt Indians. Even though there are no online sports betting operators based out of India, a lot people have signed up accounts with overseas companies.

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

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

Require legalisation

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

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was established to recommend modifications in the functioning of India's cricket regulatory body, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), after the 2013 Indian Premier League wagering scandal emerged.

Two franchises have actually been prohibited for 2 years after some players and group authorities were found guilty of repairing parts of the match at the request of bookmakers.

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

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

"I do not mind paying some money out my earnings, as long as I can bet openly," says our cricket gambler.
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It would likewise open a big company chance for licensed bookies and global online sports betting companies to establish operations in India.

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

"If you work alongside sports betting business, you will have a very effective technique of stamping out match repairing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting site, India Bet.
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But many likewise think, that the taxes levied on the gambler and the bookie will have to be reasonable to make it attractive enough for them to gamble legally.

However, there are constraints.

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

He adds that individuals who utilize unaccounted money to put big bets will never ever bet lawfully.

Approval concern

For sports betting to be legalised, parliamentary approval will be needed to produce a new law, and politically this will be a difficult concept to offer.
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"Although lots of people are associated with some sort of gaming - it's still a questionable problem for lots of," states our unnamed punter.

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

"The procedure is so long and difficult that it will take years," says Mr Ranina."That's why, we are negative about this coming true anytime soon."

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