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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 requiring 17 go to win against Australia.

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

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

Five minutes previously his cash was on Australia, and now as the Indian batsman prepares yourself to face the last over he's changed his mind.

"I believe India is winning, make the change," he tells his bookmaker on the phone.

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

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

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

Aside from horse racing, sports betting of any kind is not allowed India. Despite that, prohibited sports betting syndicates grow in the nation.

'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 gambling cash is directed towards cricket.

With no legal avenue, 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 highest specific run scorer.

Most of these transactions include so-called "black cash", which is cash not declared to the taxman.
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The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any kind of gambling in India, however unlike in the US which has a law prohibiting web sports betting, there is absolutely nothing comparable here.

And offshore wagering business are using this loophole to entice Indians. Even though there are no online sports betting operators based out of India, a lot individuals have actually signed up accounts with overseas firms.

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

But regardless of this, it is "offline sports betting", done through call which dominate 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, saying it would help clamp down on corruption in the country's preferred sport.

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was established to recommend modifications in the performance of India's cricket regulative body, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), after the 2013 Indian Premier League sports betting scandal emerged.

Two franchises have been banned for two years after some players and group authorities were condemned of fixing parts of the match at the behest of bookmakers.

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 is a relocation in the right direction.

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

It would likewise open a huge service opportunity for licensed bookies and international online wagering companies to establish operations in India.

And it would assist limit in cricket and other sports betting, argue many, by helping make deals included in sports betting more transparent.

"If you work alongside wagering business, you will have a really effective approach of marking out match repairing," says George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering site, India Bet.

But lots of also believe, that the taxes imposed on the bettor and the bookmaker will have to be affordable to make it attractive enough for them to bet lawfully.

However, there are constraints.

"Definitely there will be illegal sports betting because (some) people would not wish to leave an audit path by entering the white market," says Mr Oborne.

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

Approval question

For sports betting to be legalised, parliamentary approval will be needed to develop a new law, and politically this will be a difficult idea to sell.

"Although lots of people are included in some sort of gambling - it's still a controversial concern for numerous," states our unnamed punter.

And considered that India has a federal structural - each state will need to likewise pass a separate law to legalise sports betting gambling in their area.
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"The procedure 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 concept having been backed by an official panel for the very first time, at least an argument has fired up around a topic - which previously was considered a taboo.
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