An appropriate framework should be developed to avoid such collisions. The rules should also be designed in such a way that a betting company is taxed according to where the customer is located, and not according to where the company is located. Because if this approach is not followed, bets placed abroad by Indian customers would bring no income to the state. [2] www.rediff.com/cricket/report/how-legalising-betting-in-india-could-prevent-fixing-in-cricket-flanagan-world-t20-wt20-lodha-pix/20160306.htm leagues also tend to enjoy increased interest and engagement in games. But an appropriate framework should first be developed by the government. Otherwise, it could kill the legal market before it even starts. There is no uniform rule or law for sports betting that can be enforced worldwide. Different countries have adopted a different approach based on socio-economic needs, public interest, political interest, etc. Whenever we talk about a law, we have to see the heart and substance of the law, that is, the purpose behind it. And based on this purpose, a law can be good or bad. As a civilized society, we understand what good laws are. Any law or law that protects a person`s rights and protects them from harm that may be caused by others is considered good law. In this sense, a law that protects a person from himself can also be considered a bad law.

The arguments against legalizing betting are mainly focused on protecting a person from himself. When a person is unable to make a sensible decision overwhelmed by their greed for money, the government steps in and tells them how to behave responsibly. But such government restrictions weigh on everyone, including those who can act responsibly. Another argument against betting is that it appeals to criminal factions. However, the extensive restrictions attract more crime. Sometimes excessive restriction creates more problems than they should solve. The Lodha Committee, headed by former Chief Justice R M Lodha, set up to investigate spot-fixing incidents in the IPL, also suggested that betting should be legalised to reduce the threat of match-fixing. The president of the ICC`s anti-corruption unit, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, has also been very supportive of the idea of legalising betting in India. According to him, it would be much easier to track incidents of spot and match manipulation if the betting industry were legalized in India. Other popular sports for betting include cricket, tennis and basketball.

About 80% of illegal sports betting in India involves cricket. According to research, more than 60% of sports bets placed worldwide are on the black market. This shows that the underground betting market would continue to operate even if India legalized sports betting. In the Indian sports world, gambling is generally regarded as a fly in the ointment. The ever-growing popularity of athletes and sports culture has fueled a thriving gaming culture. Therefore, it is surprising to find that although India`s gambling market is largely illegal, it is estimated to be worth around $60 billion, or 3.5% of India`s gross domestic product, according to a KPMG study. [i] It is important to understand that laws such as the Public Gambling Act of 1867 and several other state laws prohibiting gambling not only drive those involved in gambling or sports betting underground, but are also ineffective at effectively stopping such activities. The American jurist Oliver Wendell Holmes argued in his villain theory that instead of eradicating evil, the law could instead lead individuals to engage in it more illegally and cause more harm. [ii] But why is gambling considered a crime in India when it is widely accepted elsewhere? And if it`s a crime, why is it practiced so much (unofficially)!!! Betting as a vice cannot be eliminated. Such activities take place even if they are illegal.

So instead of turning its back on the problem, the government should find solutions. Once the market opens, people will prefer to bet through fair channels, online or offline. This will drain liquidity from the unregulated market and the chances of redress will decrease significantly. The biggest benefit of regulating sports betting is that large sums of money transferred through illegal channels are held accountable, resulting in a reduction in cases of match-fixing, money laundering and crime.