Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting in India
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5 February 2016

By Sameer Hashmi

Mumbai Business reporter

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

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

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

Five minutes previously his money was on Australia, now as the Indian batsman prepares to deal with the last over he's changed his mind.

"I think India is winning, make the change," he informs his bookie on the phone.

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

Besides horse racing, sports betting wagering of any kind is not permitted in India. Despite that, prohibited wagering 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 sports betting cash is directed towards cricket.
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Without any legal opportunity, punters position bets using their phones by making calls to bookies. Gamblers can bank on anything related to the cricket match, from who is winning to the highest individual run scorer.

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

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

And offshore wagering companies are using this loophole to lure Indians. Although there are no online sports betting operators based out of India, a lot people have registered accounts with overseas companies.

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

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

Calls for legalisation

The clamour to legalise wagering 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 nation's favourite sport.

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was established to suggest modifications in the performance of India's cricket regulatory body, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), after the 2013 Indian Premier League wagering scandal emerged.

Two franchises have actually been banned for two years after some players and team officials were found guilty of repairing parts of the match at the behest of bookmakers.

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

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

"I don't mind paying some money out my earnings, as long as I can gamble openly," says our cricket bettor.
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It would also open a huge company chance for licensed bookies and international online sports betting companies to set up operations in India.

And it would help restrict match repairing in cricket and other sports betting, argue many, by assisting make transactions associated with sports betting more transparent.

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

But many likewise believe, that the taxes levied on the bettor and the bookmaker will have to be affordable to make it appealing enough for them to bet lawfully.
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However, there are limitations.

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

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

Approval question

For sports betting gambling to be legalised, parliamentary approval will be needed to create a new law, and politically this will be a hard idea to sell.

"Although many individuals are associated with some sort of gaming - it's still a questionable problem for many," says our unnamed punter.

And offered that India has a federal structural - each state will need to also pass a different law to legalise sports betting in their area.

"The process is so long and tricky that it will take years," states Mr Ranina."That's why, we are negative about this ending up being a reality anytime quickly."

Yet with the idea having actually been endorsed by an official panel for the very first time, at least an argument has ignited around a which previously was thought about a taboo.