1 For Sports Gambling to Be Legalised

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Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting in India

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bet9ja.com
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 versus Australia.

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

He has made more than 10 calls in the last thirty minutes - not to discuss the match however to keep modifying his bet.

Five minutes earlier his cash was on Australia, but now as the Indian batsman gets all set to face the last over he's altered his mind.

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

And a couple of minutes later his forecast comes to life, 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 sports betting on cricket matches. We can't reveal his name as what he's doing is unlawful in India.

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

'Black cash'

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

With no legal avenue, punters put bets using their phones by making calls to bookies. Gamblers can bet on anything related to the cricket match, from who is winning to the highest specific run scorer.

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

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

And overseas wagering business are utilizing this loophole to entice Indians. Although there are no online wagering 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 unclear for online sports betting," says Mumbai- based lawyer HP Ranina.

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

Calls for legalisation

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

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was set up to suggest 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 wagering scandal emerged.

Two franchises have been banned for 2 years after some gamers and group authorities were condemned of repairing parts of the match at the request of bookies.

The panel also argues that legalised wagering will generate tax revenues for the exchequer that might total up to $2bn a year.

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

"I don't mind paying some cash out my profits, as long as I can bet publicly," says our cricket bettor.
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It would also open a big business opportunity for certified bookies and global online sports betting companies to establish operations in India.

And it would assist restrict match fixing in cricket and other sports betting, argue numerous, by assisting make transactions associated with sports betting more transparent.

"If you work along with wagering business, you will have an extremely reliable method of stamping out match fixing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering site, India Bet.

But numerous also believe, that the taxes levied on the gambler and the bookie will have to be reasonable to make it attractive enough for them to gamble legally.

However, there are limitations.

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

He adds that people who use unaccounted cash to position big bets will never gamble lawfully.

Approval concern

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

"Even however many individuals are associated with some sort of gambling - it's still a controversial problem for numerous," states our unnamed punter.

And considered that India has a federal structural - each state will need to also pass a different law to legalise sports betting gambling in their territory.
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"The procedure 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 concept having actually been endorsed by an official panel for the very first time, at least an argument has fired up around a subject - which until now was thought about a taboo.