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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 requiring 17 runs to win versus Australia.

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

He has made more than 10 employ the last thirty minutes - not to go over the match however to keep revising his bet.

Five minutes earlier his money was on Australia, and now as the Indian batsman prepares to deal with the last over he's altered his mind.
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"I believe India is winning, make the modification," he informs his bookmaker on the phone.

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

"I have actually made $200 today," he states with a childish glee.

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

Aside from horse racing, sports betting of any kind is not allowed India. Despite that, unlawful sports betting distributes grow in the country.

'Black cash'

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

Without any legal opportunity, punters put 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 individual run scorer.

The majority of these transactions involve so-called "black money", which is money not stated to the taxman.
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The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any kind of gaming in India, but unlike in the US which has a law forbiding internet sports betting, there is nothing similar here.

And offshore sports betting business are utilizing this loophole to draw Indians. Despite the fact that there are no online wagering based out of India, a lot people have actually registered accounts with offshore companies.

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

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

Require legalisation

The clamour to legalise wagering in cricket has grown after a panel designated by India's Supreme Court proposed the concept, saying it would help secure down on corruption in the nation's favourite sport.

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was set up to recommend 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 sports betting scandal came to light.

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

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

Even gamblers feel that legalising sports betting is a relocation in the best instructions.

"I don't mind paying some money out my earnings, as long as I can gamble openly," states our cricket bettor.

It would also open a huge business chance for licensed bookies and worldwide online sports betting business to set up operations in India.

And it would help restrict match repairing in cricket and other sports betting, argue numerous, by helping make transactions involved in gambling more transparent.

"If you work alongside wagering business, you will have a really efficient technique of marking out match repairing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering website, India Bet.

But many likewise think, that the taxes levied on the bettor and the bookie will have to be reasonable to make it attractive enough for them to bet lawfully.

However, there are restrictions.

"Definitely there will be unlawful wagering due to the fact that (some) individuals wouldn't wish to leave an audit trail by getting in the white market," states Mr Oborne.

He includes that people who use unaccounted money to put big bets will never ever gamble lawfully.

Approval concern

For sports betting gambling to be legalised, parliamentary approval will be required to develop a brand-new law, and politically this will be a tough idea to sell.

"Although many individuals are included in some sort of gaming - it's still a controversial problem for many," says our unnamed punter.

And given that India has a federal structural - each state will have to also pass a separate law to legalise sports betting in their area.
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"The process is so long and challenging that it will take years," says Mr Ranina."That's why, we are cynical about this becoming a reality anytime quickly."

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