bet9ja.com
Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting wagering 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 situated in central Mumbai, a male is watching 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 made more than 10 calls in the last thirty minutes - not to discuss the match but to keep modifying his bet.

Five minutes previously his cash was on Australia, and now as the Indian batsman prepares to deal with the last over he's altered his mind.
bet9ja.com
"I think India is winning, make the modification," he informs his bookie on the phone.
bit.ly
And a few minutes later on his prediction becomes a reality, as India wins the match in a nail-biting surface.

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

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

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

'Black cash'

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

Without any legal opportunity, punters place bets using their phones by making calls to bookies. Gamblers can bank on anything associated to the cricket match, from who is winning to the greatest specific run scorer.

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

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

And offshore wagering business are utilizing this loophole to draw Indians. Even though there are no online sports betting operators based out of India, a lot individuals have signed up accounts with overseas firms.

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

But in spite of this, it is "offline gaming", done through telephone call which control the marketplace.

Calls for legalisation

The clamour to legalise wagering in cricket has grown after a panel designated 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 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 came to light.

Two franchises have actually been banned for 2 years after some gamers and group officials were discovered guilty of fixing parts of the match at the behest of bookies.

The panel likewise 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 move in the right direction.

"I do not mind paying some money out my earnings, as long as I can gamble publicly," states our cricket gambler.

It would also open a big business opportunity for licensed bookmakers and worldwide online sports betting business to set up operations in India.

And it would assist limit match fixing in cricket and other sports betting, argue numerous, by assisting make transactions involved in gambling more transparent.

"If you work alongside wagering companies, you will have a very efficient method of stamping out match repairing," says George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering site, India Bet.

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

However, there are limitations.

"Definitely there will be illegal wagering due to the fact that (some) individuals would not desire to leave an audit path by going into the white market," says Mr Oborne.

He adds that individuals who use unaccounted money to put big bets will never ever bet lawfully.
bit.ly
Approval question
bet9ja.com
For sports betting gambling to be legalised, parliamentary approval will be needed to develop a new law, and politically this will be a difficult concept to sell.

"Although lots of people are involved in 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 likewise pass a separate law to legalise sports betting in their area.
bit.ly
"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 soon."

Yet with the idea having actually been endorsed by a main panel for the first time, a minimum of a debate has ignited around a topic - which previously was considered a taboo.