Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting wagering in India
bet9ja.com
Published

5 February 2016

Share

close panel

Share page

Copy link

About sharing

By Sameer Hashmi

Mumbai Business press reporter
bet9ja.com
It is the last over of the cricket match, with India needing 17 runs to win against Australia.

In his two-bedroom home located in central Mumbai, a middle-aged male is seeing the game, nervously. He's resting 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 discuss the match however to keep revising his bet.
bet9ja.com
Five minutes previously his money was on Australia, now as the Indian batsman gets all set to deal with the last over he's altered his mind.

"I believe India is winning, make the modification," he tells his bookie on the phone.

And a few minutes later on his prediction becomes a reality, as India wins the match in a nail-biting finish.

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

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

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

'Black cash'
bit.ly
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 cash is directed towards cricket.
bet9ja.com
With no legal opportunity, punters place bets using their phones by making calls to bookies. Gamblers can wager on anything related to the cricket match, from who is winning to the highest individual run scorer.
bet9ja.com
The majority of these transactions include so-called "black cash", which is money not declared to the taxman.

The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any kind of gambling in India, but unlike in the US which has a law forbiding internet gaming, there is absolutely nothing similar here.

And overseas wagering companies are using this loophole to draw Indians. Despite the fact that there are no online wagering operators based out of India, a lot individuals have registered accounts with overseas firms.

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

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

Calls for legalisation

The clamour to legalise sports betting in cricket has grown after a panel appointed by India's Supreme Court proposed the idea, saying it would assist secure down on corruption in the country's preferred sport.

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

Two franchises have been banned for two years after some gamers and team authorities were discovered guilty of parts of the match at the behest of bookies.

The panel also argues that legalised sports betting will generate tax revenues for the exchequer that could total up to $2bn a year.

Even bettors feel that legalising sports betting wagering is a move in the ideal direction.

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

It would also open a huge organization chance for certified bookies and international online sports betting 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 associated with sports betting more transparent.

"If you work alongside sports betting business, you will have a very effective method of marking out match fixing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock wagering website, India Bet.

But lots of likewise believe, that the taxes imposed on the gambler and the bookie will need to be affordable to make it appealing enough for them to bet legally.

However, there are restrictions.

"Definitely there will be prohibited wagering because (some) individuals wouldn't desire to leave an audit path by getting in the white market," states Mr Oborne.

He adds that people who utilize unaccounted money to place big bets will never bet lawfully.

Approval question

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 though numerous people are included in some sort of gaming - it's still a questionable concern for lots of," says our unnamed punter.

And given that India has a federal structural - each state will have to likewise pass a separate law to legalise sports betting gambling in their territory.

"The procedure is so long and challenging that it will take years," states Mr Ranina."That's why, we are cynical about this coming true anytime soon."

Yet with the idea having been backed by a main panel for the very first time, at least a dispute has actually ignited around a subject - which up until now was considered a taboo.
bet9ja.com