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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 press reporter

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

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

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

Five minutes earlier his money was on Australia, now as the Indian batsman prepares to deal with the last over he's altered his mind.

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

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

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

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

Aside from horse racing, sports betting of any kind is not allowed India. Despite that, illegal sports betting distributes prosper in the nation.

'Black cash'

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

With no legal opportunity, 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 highest individual run scorer.

Most of these transactions include so-called "black money", 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 restricting internet gaming, there is absolutely nothing similar here.

And overseas wagering companies are using this loophole to draw Indians. Even though there are no online wagering operators based out of India, a lot individuals have registered accounts with offshore companies.

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

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

Calls for legalisation

The clamour to legalise sports betting in cricket has actually grown after a panel designated by India's Supreme Court proposed the concept, stating it would assist secure down on corruption in the nation's preferred 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 wagering scandal came to light.

Two franchises have been banned for 2 years after some players and group authorities were condemned of repairing parts of the match at the request of bookies.

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

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

"I don't mind paying some money out my revenues, as long as I can gamble publicly," states our cricket gambler.

It would also open a huge organization chance for certified bookies and international online wagering companies to establish operations in India.

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

"If you work together with sports betting business, you will have a very efficient method of marking out match fixing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering site, India Bet.
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But many likewise believe, that the taxes levied on the gambler and the bookmaker will need to be sensible to make it appealing enough for them to bet lawfully.

However, there are restrictions.

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

He includes that people who use unaccounted money to place huge bets will never gamble lawfully.

Approval question

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

"Although many individuals are associated with some sort of sports betting - it's still a controversial concern for many," states our unnamed punter.
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And considered that India has a federal structural - each state will have to likewise pass a separate law to legalise sports betting in their area.
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"The process is so long and difficult that it will take years," states Mr Ranina."That's why, we are negative about this ending up being a reality anytime quickly."

Yet with the concept having actually been backed by an official panel for the very first time, at least a debate has fired up around a subject - which previously was thought about a taboo.
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