India is regarded as the hotbed of global betting syndicates, with gamblers and bookmakers involved in a massive network of illegal spot-fixing. The shady world of Indian bookmakers came to light in a match-fixing scandal in 2000 that led to life bans for Test captains Hansie Cronje (South Africa), Mohammad Azharuddin (India) and Salim Malik (Pakistan). The scandal broke when New Delhi police tapped a conversation between Cronje and an alleged bookmaker.
“The aim is to ascertain whether legalised betting can exist in India without the stigma attached to it now. So, we are looking at the pros and cons with great care,” said a sport ministry official.
A report in The Times claimed that the ban on sports gambling “only pushes it underground, making it lucrative for criminal elements”. It also pointed to a link between illegal gambling and militant activity, saying the ban “creates a dangerous situation in which money can flow between gambling, drugs and even terror”.
Another advantage of legal sports gambling in India is that it could prove a source of major tax revenue for the government, as well as allow for official regulation.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 6th, 2010.
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