1 For Sports Gambling to Be Legalised
juliankail5545 edited this page 3 days ago

bet9ja.com
Howzat? The clamour to legalise sports betting in India
bet9ja.com
5 February 2016

By Sameer Hashmi

Mumbai Business press reporter

It is the last over of the cricket match, with India needing 17 runs to win versus Australia.

In his two-bedroom home situated in central Mumbai, a middle-aged guy is enjoying the game, nervously. He's resting on the edge of his grey colour sofa with his mobile phone glued to his right hand.

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

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

"I believe India is winning, make the change," he tells his bookmaker on the phone.

And a couple of minutes later his forecast becomes a reality, as India wins the match in a nail-biting surface.

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

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

Aside from horse racing, sports betting of any kind is not enabled in India. Despite that, unlawful sports betting syndicates thrive in the country.

'Black cash'

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

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

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

The 1867 Public Gambling Act bars any kind of sports betting in India, however unlike in the US which has a law restricting internet sports betting, there is nothing similar here.

And offshore sports betting companies are using this loophole to lure Indians. Despite the fact that there are no online wagering operators based out of India, a lot people have signed up accounts with overseas firms.

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

But regardless of this, it is "offline gaming", 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 concept, saying it would help clamp down on corruption in the country's favourite sport.
bet9ja.com
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 condemned of repairing parts of the match at the request of bookmakers.

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

Even bettors feel that legalising sports betting wagering is a move in the best direction.
bit.ly
"I do not mind paying some cash out my profits, as long as I can bet publicly," states our cricket gambler.

It would likewise open a substantial company chance for licensed bookmakers and global online wagering business to establish operations in India.

And it would help limit match repairing in cricket and other sports betting, argue lots of, by helping make transactions included in gambling more transparent.

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

But numerous likewise believe, that the taxes levied on the gambler and the bookie will need to be sensible to make it appealing enough for them to gamble legally.

However, there are constraints.

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

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

Approval concern

For sports betting to be legalised, parliamentary approval will be required to produce a brand-new law, and politically this will be a to sell.

"Although many individuals are involved in some sort of gambling - it's still a controversial issue for numerous," states our unnamed punter.

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

"The process is so long and challenging that it will take years," says Mr Ranina."That's why, we are negative about this becoming a reality anytime quickly."

Yet with the idea having actually been backed by an official panel for the very first time, at least a debate has actually fired up around a topic - which up until now was considered a taboo.