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Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting in India

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 versus Australia.

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

He has actually made more than 10 calls in the last 30 minutes - not to discuss the match but to keep revising his bet.

Five minutes previously his money was on Australia, but 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 informs his bookmaker on the phone.
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And a couple of minutes later on his forecast becomes a reality, as India wins the match in a nail-biting finish.

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

For more than three years he's been banking on cricket matches. We can't reveal his name as what he's doing is prohibited in India.
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Other than horse racing, sports betting of any kind is not permitted in India. Despite that, prohibited sports betting syndicates grow in the nation.

'Black money'

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

Without any legal opportunity, punters put bets using their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can bet 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 cash", which is cash not declared to the taxman.

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

And offshore sports betting business are using this loophole to tempt Indians. Even though there are no online sports betting operators based out of India, a lot people have actually registered accounts with offshore companies.

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

But regardless of this, it is "offline gambling", done through call which dominate the marketplace.
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Calls for legalisation

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

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was established to suggest modifications 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 emerged.

Two franchises have actually been banned for 2 years after some gamers and team officials were condemned of fixing parts of the match at the request of bookmakers.

The panel likewise argues that legalised wagering will generate tax incomes for the exchequer that might total up 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 profits, as long as I can gamble publicly," states our cricket bettor.

It would also open a big service chance for certified bookmakers and worldwide online wagering business to establish operations in India.

And it would help limit match fixing in cricket and other sports betting, argue lots of, by helping make deals involved in gambling more transparent.

"If you work together with wagering business, you will have a really efficient technique of stamping out match fixing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering website, India Bet.

But lots of likewise think, that the taxes levied on the bettor and the bookie will need to be reasonable to make it appealing enough for them to bet lawfully.
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However, there are restrictions.

"Definitely there will be illegal wagering because (some) individuals wouldn't want to leave an audit path by going into the white market," says Mr Oborne.

He includes that individuals who utilize unaccounted money to place huge bets will never bet lawfully.

Approval concern

For sports betting gambling to be legalised, parliamentary approval will be needed to produce a new law, and politically this will be a difficult concept to offer.

"Despite the fact that lots of people are associated with some sort of gambling - it's still a questionable issue for numerous," 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 gambling in their territory.

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

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