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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 against Australia.

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

He has actually 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, and now as the Indian batsman prepares yourself to deal with the last over he's changed his mind.

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

And a couple of minutes later his forecast becomes a reality, as India wins the match in a nail-biting finish.

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

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

Other than horse racing, sports betting wagering of any kind is not allowed India. Despite that, unlawful 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 is worth some $150bn a year. And much of that sports betting cash is directed towards cricket.

With no legal opportunity, punters position bets using their phones by making calls to bookies. Gamblers can wager on anything associated to the cricket match, from who is winning to the highest individual run scorer.

The majority of these deals involve so-called "black cash", which is money not stated to the taxman.
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The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any type of gambling in India, however unlike in the US which has a law forbiding internet gaming, there is absolutely nothing comparable here.

And overseas wagering business are utilizing this loophole to lure Indians. Even though there are no online sports betting operators based out of India, a lot people have actually registered accounts with offshore firms.

"Legally you can get away [with this], as the law is unclear for online gaming," says Mumbai- based legal representative 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 country's favourite sport.

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was set up to suggest 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 been banned for 2 years after some gamers and team authorities were condemned of repairing parts of the match at the behest of bookies.

The panel also argues that legalised sports betting will bring in tax incomes for the exchequer that might amount to $2bn a year.

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

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

It would also open a substantial organization chance for licensed bookmakers and global online wagering companies to establish operations in India.

And it would help fixing in cricket and other sports betting, argue many, by assisting make deals included in gambling more transparent.

"If you work alongside sports betting companies, you will have an extremely effective technique of stamping out match repairing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering site, India Bet.

But lots of likewise believe, that the taxes imposed on the bettor and the bookmaker will have to be reasonable to make it attractive enough for them to gamble legally.

However, there are limitations.

"Definitely there will be illegal wagering due to the fact that (some) people would not wish to leave an audit trail by going into the white market," says Mr Oborne.

He includes that people who use unaccounted cash to position big bets will never ever gamble legally.

Approval question

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

"Despite the fact that lots of people are associated with some sort of gambling - it's still a questionable problem for many," states our unnamed punter.

And given that India has a federal structural - each state will need to also pass a separate law to legalise sports betting in their area.

"The process is so long and challenging that it will take years," states Mr Ranina."That's why, we are negative about this becoming a truth anytime quickly."

Yet with the idea having actually been endorsed by a main panel for the first time, a minimum of a dispute has ignited around a subject - which previously was thought about a taboo.
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