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Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting 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 versus Australia.

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

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

Five minutes earlier his cash was on Australia, and now as the Indian batsman gets prepared to face the last over he's changed his mind.

"I believe India is winning, make the change," he tells his bookie 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 states with a childlike glee.

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

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

'Black money'

According to the Doha-based International Centre for sports betting Security, India's unlawful 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 place bets using their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can bank on anything associated to the cricket match, from who is winning to the highest individual run scorer.

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

The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any sort of sports betting in India, however unlike in the US which has a law restricting internet gambling, there is nothing comparable here.

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

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

But despite this, it is "offline gambling", done through telephone call which control the market.

Calls for legalisation

The clamour to legalise sports betting in cricket has actually grown after a panel selected 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 established to suggest changes 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 actually been prohibited for 2 years after some gamers and team officials were condemned of repairing parts of the match at the behest of bookmakers.

The panel also argues that legalised sports betting will generate 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 don't mind paying some cash out my revenues, as long as I can bet publicly," states our cricket gambler.

It would likewise open a big organization chance for licensed bookies and worldwide online wagering business to set up operations in India.

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

"If you work alongside sports betting business, you will have a very reliable approach of stamping out match repairing," says George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering website, India Bet.

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

However, there are restrictions.

"Definitely there will be prohibited wagering because (some) people wouldn't wish to leave an audit trail by entering the white market," says Mr Oborne.

He includes that individuals who utilize unaccounted money to position big bets will never ever gamble legally.

Approval concern

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

"Even however many individuals are associated with some sort of gambling - it's still a questionable issue for lots of," 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 in their territory.
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"The process is so long and challenging that it will take years," states Mr Ranina."That's why, we are cynical about this ending up being a truth anytime soon."

Yet with the idea having been backed by an official panel for the very first time, a minimum of a dispute has ignited around a subject - which until now was thought about a taboo.