bet9ja.com
Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting in India

Published

5 February 2016

Share

close panel

Share page

Copy link

About sharing

By Sameer Hashmi

Mumbai Business reporter

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

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

He has actually made more than 10 hire 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 gets ready to face the last over he's altered his mind.

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

And a couple of minutes later on his forecast comes to life, as India wins the match in a nail-biting surface.

"I have 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 illegal in India.

Other than horse racing, sports betting wagering of any kind is not allowed India. Despite that, illegal sports betting distributes grow in the country.

'Black money'

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

Without any legal avenue, punters put bets utilizing their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can bank on anything associated to the cricket match, from who is winning to the highest private run scorer.

The majority of these transactions involve so-called "black money", which is money not stated to the taxman.

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

And overseas wagering business are using this loophole to lure Indians. Although there are no online sports betting 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 uncertain for online sports betting," states 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 grown after a panel appointed by India's Supreme Court proposed the idea, stating it would help secure down on corruption in the country's preferred sport.

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was established 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 prohibited for 2 years after some gamers and group officials were condemned of repairing parts of the match at the behest of bookies.

The panel also argues that legalised sports betting will bring in tax profits for the exchequer that might total up to $2bn a year.

Even gamblers feel that legalising sports betting wagering is a move in the ideal direction.

"I do not mind paying some money out my revenues, as long as I can bet openly," says our cricket bettor.

It would also open a big organization chance for licensed bookies and global online sports betting business to establish operations in India.

And it would help restrict match repairing in cricket and other sports betting, argue lots of, by assisting make deals included in gambling more transparent.

"If you work along with sports betting companies, you will have a really effective approach of stamping out match fixing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering site, India Bet.

But many likewise believe, that the taxes imposed on the bettor and the bookie will need to be reasonable to make it attractive enough for them to gamble lawfully.

However, there are constraints.

"Definitely there will be illegal wagering because (some) people would not desire to leave an audit path by going into the white market," states Mr Oborne.

He includes that people who use unaccounted money to place big bets will never bet lawfully.

Approval question

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

"Even though many individuals are included in some sort of sports betting - it's still a controversial concern for many," states our unnamed punter.

And considered that India has a federal structural - each state will need to also pass a separate law to legalise sports betting in their territory.
bet9ja.com
"The procedure is so long and difficult that it will take years," states Mr Ranina."That's why, we are cynical about this becoming a reality anytime quickly."

Yet with the idea having been backed by an official panel for the first time, at least a debate has sparked around a topic - which previously was thought about a taboo.
bet9ja.com