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 runs to win against Australia.

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

He has actually made more than 10 contact the last 30 minutes - not to talk about the match however to keep modifying his bet.

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

"I believe India is winning, make the modification," he informs his bookie on the phone.

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

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

For more than 3 decades he's been banking on cricket matches. We can't expose his name as what he's doing is illegal in India.

Other than horse racing, sports betting of any kind is not allowed India. Despite that, illegal sports betting grow in the nation.

'Black money'

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 gambling money is directed towards cricket.

With no legal avenue, punters put 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 specific run scorer.

Most of these transactions include so-called "black cash", 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 forbiding web sports betting, there is nothing similar here.

And offshore wagering business are using this loophole to tempt Indians. Despite the fact that there are no online sports betting operators based out of India, a lot individuals have actually signed up accounts with offshore firms.

"Legally you can escape [with this], as the law is ambiguous for online gaming," states Mumbai- based attorney HP Ranina.

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

Require legalisation

The clamour to legalise sports betting in cricket has actually grown after a panel designated by India's Supreme Court proposed the concept, saying it would help secure down on corruption in the nation's favourite sport.

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was set up to recommend changes in the performance 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 team authorities were discovered guilty of repairing parts of the match at the behest of bookies.

The panel also argues that legalised wagering will bring in tax profits for the exchequer that could amount to $2bn a year.

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

"I don't mind paying some cash out my profits, as long as I can bet publicly," states our cricket gambler.

It would likewise open a substantial organization opportunity for certified bookies and international online wagering companies to set up operations in India.

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

"If you work together with sports betting business, you will have an extremely efficient approach of marking out match fixing," says 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 bookmaker will need to be sensible to make it attractive enough for them to bet lawfully.

However, there are limitations.

"Definitely there will be unlawful wagering due to the fact that (some) individuals would not desire to leave an audit path by entering the white market," says Mr Oborne.

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

Approval question

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

"Despite the fact that numerous people are involved in some sort of gambling - it's still a controversial issue for lots of," 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 territory.
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"The procedure is so long and difficult that it will take years," states Mr Ranina."That's why, we are negative about this coming true anytime quickly."

Yet with the concept having actually been endorsed by an official panel for the very first time, a minimum of a debate has actually ignited around a subject - which previously was considered a taboo.