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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 press reporter

It is the last over of the cricket match, with India needing 17 go to win against Australia.

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

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

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

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

And a few minutes later on his prediction becomes a reality, 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 three decades he's been banking on cricket matches. We can't reveal his name as what he's doing is unlawful in India.

Other than horse racing, sports betting wagering of any kind is not allowed India. Despite that, unlawful wagering syndicates prosper in the country.

'Black cash'

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

Without any legal opportunity, punters position bets utilizing 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 deals include so-called "black money", which is money not declared to the taxman.

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

And offshore sports betting business are utilizing this loophole to lure Indians. Despite the fact that there are no online sports betting operators based out of India, a lot people have registered accounts with overseas firms.

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

But regardless of this, it is "offline sports betting", done through phone calls which dominate the marketplace.

Calls for legalisation

The clamour to legalise wagering in cricket has actually grown after a panel designated by India's Supreme Court proposed the concept, saying it would assist clamp 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 actually been prohibited for 2 years after some gamers and group authorities were condemned of fixing parts of the match at the wish of bookies.

The panel also argues that legalised sports betting will generate tax earnings for the exchequer that could total up to $2bn a year.

Even bettors feel that legalising sports betting wagering is a relocation in the best instructions.
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"I do not mind paying some cash out my profits, as long as I can gamble publicly," states our cricket bettor.

It would also open a huge organization opportunity for certified bookies and worldwide online sports betting companies to set up operations in India.

And it would assist restrict match repairing in cricket and other sports betting, argue many, by helping make deals associated with gambling more transparent.

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

But lots of likewise think, that the taxes levied on the gambler and the bookie will have to be affordable to make it attractive enough for them to gamble lawfully.

However, there are constraints.

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

He adds that people who use unaccounted money to put huge bets will never ever bet lawfully.

Approval question

For sports betting to be legalised, parliamentary approval will be needed to develop a brand-new law, and politically this will be a tough concept to offer.
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"Although lots of people are associated with some sort of sports betting - it's still a questionable issue for numerous," says our unnamed punter.

And offered that India has a federal structural - each state will need to also pass a separate law to legalise sports betting in their area.
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"The process 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 idea having actually been backed by an official panel for the very first time, a minimum of a debate has fired up around a subject - which previously was considered a taboo.
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