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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 reporter

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

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

He has made more than 10 employ the last 30 minutes - not to discuss the match but to keep modifying his bet.

Five minutes earlier his money was on Australia, today as the Indian batsman gets ready to face the last over he's altered his mind.

"I think India is winning, make the change," he informs his bookie on the phone.

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

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

For more than three years he's been wagering 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 allowed India. Despite that, unlawful wagering syndicates flourish in the country.

'Black cash'

According to the Doha-based International Centre for sports betting Security, India's unlawful sports betting market is worth some $150bn a year. And much of that sports betting cash is directed towards cricket.
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Without any legal opportunity, punters put bets using their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can bank 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 money", 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 gaming, there is absolutely nothing similar here.

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

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

But regardless of this, it is "offline gambling", done through telephone call which control the marketplace.

Calls for legalisation

The clamour to legalise wagering in cricket has grown after a panel appointed by India's Supreme Court proposed the idea, stating it would assist secure down on corruption in the country's preferred sport.

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was established to suggest changes in the performance 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 condemned of fixing parts of the match at the wish of bookies.

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

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

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

It would likewise open a substantial organization opportunity for licensed bookmakers and global online wagering companies to set up operations in India.

And it would help restrict match fixing in cricket and other sports betting, argue numerous, by helping make deals included in sports betting more transparent.

"If you work alongside sports betting business, you will have a very effective method of marking out match fixing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering site, India Bet.

But lots of likewise think, that the taxes imposed on the gambler and the bookie will need to be sensible to make it appealing enough for them to bet lawfully.

However, there are limitations.

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

He adds that individuals who utilize unaccounted cash to put huge bets will never ever bet legally.

Approval concern

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

"Even though many individuals are involved in some sort of gaming - it's still a controversial issue for numerous," states our unnamed punter.

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

Yet with the idea having actually been endorsed by an official panel for the very first time, at least a dispute has actually fired up around a subject - which previously was considered a taboo.
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