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Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting in India

5 February 2016
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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 house situated in main Mumbai, a middle-aged guy is watching the game, nervously. He's resting on the edge of his grey colour couch with his mobile phone glued to his right-hand man.

He has actually made more than 10 employ the last 30 minutes - not to go over the match but to keep revising his bet.

Five minutes earlier his money was on Australia, and now as the Indian batsman gets prepared to deal with the last over he's his mind.

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

And a few minutes later his forecast 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 3 years he's been wagering on cricket matches. We can't reveal his name as what he's doing is illegal in India.

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

'Black cash'

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

With no legal avenue, punters put bets using their phones by making calls to bookmakers. Gamblers can wager on anything associated to the cricket match, from who is winning to the highest private run scorer.

Most of these transactions involve 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 sports betting, there is nothing comparable here.

And offshore sports betting companies are utilizing this loophole to entice 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 uncertain for online sports betting," says Mumbai- based legal representative HP Ranina.

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

Calls for legalisation

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

The Justice RM Lodha Commission was set up to suggest 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 wagering scandal came to light.

Two franchises have been banned for 2 years after some players and group officials were condemned of repairing parts of the match at the request of bookies.

The panel likewise argues that legalised sports betting will bring in tax revenues for the exchequer that might amount to $2bn a year.

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

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

It would also open a substantial service chance for certified bookmakers and worldwide online wagering companies to set up operations in India.

And it would assist restrict match repairing in cricket and other sports betting, argue lots of, by assisting make transactions associated with gambling more transparent.

"If you work along with sports betting companies, you will have a really reliable approach of marking out match repairing," states George Oborne, who runs a mock sports betting website, India Bet.

But lots of also believe, that the taxes levied on the bettor and the bookie will have to be affordable to make it appealing enough for them to gamble legally.

However, there are restrictions.

"Definitely there will be illegal sports betting because (some) people would not wish to leave an audit path by entering the white market," says Mr Oborne.

He includes that individuals who use unaccounted cash to place big bets will never bet legally.

Approval question

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

"Despite the fact that many people are involved in some sort of gaming - it's still a questionable problem for many," states our unnamed punter.

And given that India has a federal structural - each state will have to also pass a different law to legalise sports betting in their area.
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"The procedure is so long and challenging that it will take years," states Mr Ranina."That's why, we are negative about this coming true anytime quickly."

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