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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 against Australia.

In his two-bedroom home located in central Mumbai, a middle-aged male is seeing the video game, nervously. He's sitting on the edge of his grey colour sofa with his cellphone glued to his right hand.

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

Five minutes earlier his cash was on Australia, today as the Indian batsman prepares to face the last over he's changed his mind.

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

And a few minutes later on his forecast comes to life, 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 decades he's been wagering on cricket matches. We can't reveal his name as what he's doing is prohibited in India.

Besides horse racing, sports betting of any kind is not allowed India. Despite that, prohibited sports betting syndicates thrive in the country.

'Black money'

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.

Without any legal opportunity, punters position 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 money not stated to the taxman.

The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any kind of gaming in India, however unlike in the US which has a law forbiding internet gaming, there is absolutely nothing similar here.

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

"Legally you can get away [with this], as the law is unclear for online gaming," says Mumbai- based legal representative HP Ranina.

But despite this, it is "offline sports betting", done through call which control the marketplace.

Calls for legalisation

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

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was established to recommend 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 sports betting scandal came to light.

Two franchises have actually been banned for two years after some gamers and team authorities were condemned of repairing parts of the match at the behest of bookies.

The panel likewise argues that legalised wagering will bring in tax earnings for the exchequer that might total up to $2bn a year.

Even bettors feel that legalising sports betting is a move in the best instructions.

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

It would also open a huge company chance for certified bookies and international online sports betting business to set up operations in India.

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

"If you work together with wagering business, you will have an extremely efficient approach of stamping out match fixing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting site, India Bet.

But many likewise think, that the taxes imposed on the bettor and the bookmaker will have to be affordable to make it attractive enough for them to gamble lawfully.

However, there are limitations.

"Definitely there will be illegal sports betting because (some) people wouldn't want to leave an audit path by entering the white market," states Mr Oborne.

He includes that people who utilize unaccounted cash to put big bets will never bet lawfully.

Approval concern

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 offer.

"Even though lots of people are associated with some sort of sports betting - it's still a controversial concern for many," says our unnamed punter.

And considered that India has a federal structural - each state will have to likewise pass a separate law to legalise sports betting in their territory.
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"The process is so long and difficult that it will take years," says Mr Ranina."That's why, we are negative about this coming true anytime quickly."

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