1 For Sports Gambling to Be Legalised

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Howzat? The to legalise sports betting in India

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5 February 2016

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By Sameer Hashmi
bet9ja.com
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 home situated in central Mumbai, a middle-aged man is enjoying the game, nervously. He's resting on the edge of his grey colour couch with his cellphone glued to his right hand.

He has made more than 10 calls in the last 30 minutes - not to go over the match but to keep modifying his bet.

Five minutes earlier his money was on Australia, and now as the Indian batsman prepares yourself to deal with 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 his prediction comes real, as India wins the match in a nail-biting finish.

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

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

Aside from horse racing, sports betting wagering of any kind is not enabled in India. Despite that, unlawful sports betting syndicates flourish in the nation.

'Black cash'

According to the Doha-based International Centre for sports betting Security, India's illegal sports betting market deserves some $150bn a year. And much of that sports betting money is directed towards cricket.

Without any legal avenue, punters place bets using their phones by making calls to bookies. Gamblers can bank on anything associated to the cricket match, from who is winning to the greatest individual run scorer.

The majority of these deals involve so-called "black money", which is cash not declared to the taxman.

The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any type of gambling in India, but unlike in the US which has a law prohibiting web gaming, there is absolutely nothing comparable here.

And overseas wagering companies are using this loophole to tempt Indians. Despite the fact that there are no online sports betting operators based out of India, a lot people have registered accounts with overseas companies.

"Legally you can get away [with this], as the law is unclear for online gambling," states Mumbai- based lawyer HP Ranina.

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

Calls for legalisation

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

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was established to suggest modifications in the functioning 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 two years after some players and team authorities were found guilty of fixing parts of the match at the wish of bookies.

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

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

"I don't mind paying some cash out my revenues, as long as I can bet openly," says our cricket gambler.
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It would likewise open a substantial business opportunity for licensed bookmakers and international online wagering companies to establish operations in India.

And it would help restrict match repairing in cricket and other sports betting, argue many, by helping make transactions associated with sports betting more transparent.
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"If you work along with wagering companies, you will have an extremely reliable technique of stamping out match fixing," says George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting website, India Bet.

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

However, there are restrictions.

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

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

Approval concern

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

"Even however lots of people are associated with some sort of sports betting - it's still a controversial issue for numerous," states our unnamed punter.

And considered that India has a federal structural - each state will need to likewise pass a different law to legalise sports betting in their area.

"The procedure is so long and difficult that it will take years," states Mr Ranina."That's why, we are cynical about this coming true anytime soon."

Yet with the concept having been endorsed by a main panel for the very first time, at least an argument has actually sparked around a subject - which until now was considered a taboo.