1 For Sports Gambling to Be Legalised

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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 reporter

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

In his two-bedroom house located in central Mumbai, a middle-aged man is enjoying the 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 calls in the last 30 minutes - not to discuss the match but to keep revising his bet.

Five minutes earlier his cash was on Australia, however now as the Indian batsman prepares to deal with 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 few minutes later his prediction becomes a reality, as India wins the match in a nail-biting surface.

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

For more than three years he's been banking on cricket matches. We can't expose his name as what he's doing is unlawful in India.

Other than horse racing, sports betting of any kind is not permitted in India. Despite that, illegal wagering syndicates prosper in the nation.

'Black cash'

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

With no legal opportunity, bets utilizing their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can bank on anything associated to the cricket match, from who is winning to the highest individual run scorer.

Most of these transactions include so-called "black cash", which is cash not stated to the taxman.

The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any sort of gaming in India, but unlike in the US which has a law restricting internet gambling, there is nothing comparable here.

And offshore wagering companies are utilizing this loophole to entice Indians. Even though there are no online sports betting operators based out of India, a lot individuals have actually registered accounts with offshore companies.

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

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

Require legalisation

The clamour to legalise wagering in cricket has actually grown after a panel appointed 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 suggest modifications 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 emerged.

Two franchises have actually been prohibited for two years after some players and team authorities were condemned of repairing parts of the match at the request of bookies.

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

Even bettors feel that legalising sports betting is a relocation in the ideal instructions.

"I do not mind paying some money out my earnings, as long as I can bet publicly," states our cricket bettor.

It would also open a big organization chance for licensed bookmakers and worldwide online sports betting companies to establish operations in India.

And it would help limit match fixing in cricket and other sports betting, argue numerous, by helping make transactions associated with gambling more transparent.

"If you work along with sports betting business, you will have a really efficient approach of stamping out match fixing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting website, India Bet.

But lots of likewise think, that the taxes levied on the bettor and the bookie will need to be affordable to make it appealing enough for them to gamble legally.

However, there are restrictions.

"Definitely there will be illegal wagering because (some) individuals would not desire to leave an audit path by entering the white market," states Mr Oborne.

He adds that individuals who use unaccounted money to position 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 difficult concept to sell.

"Despite the fact that lots of people are associated with some sort of sports betting - it's still a questionable issue for numerous," states our unnamed punter.

And given that India has a federal structural - each state will have to likewise pass a separate 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 cynical about this coming true anytime soon."

Yet with the idea having actually been backed by an official panel for the very first time, at least a dispute has actually sparked around a topic - which till now was thought about a taboo.