India is one step closer to legalising sports betting
India’s Supreme Court has ordered sweeping reforms inside the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), opening the door for the possibility of a legalised sports betting industry in the country.
India.- Wrapping up a two-year-long examination of betting, spot-fixing allegations and possible reform of how the game is run, the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday ordered a comprehensive revamp of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the next six months, to be overseen by the Lodha committee.
The SC order focuses on transforming the world’s richest cricket body by barring ministers and officials from the board and setting an age limit of 70 years for office-bearers.
But the highlight of SC Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justice Ibrahim Kalifulla judgment was it adapted the recommendation of the committee, headed by retired Chief Justice of India R.M. Lodha, to make sports betting legal through an enacted legislation, according to Lawyer Vidushpat Singhania, a sports law expert and a partner at Krida Law.
“The Supreme Court yesterday has directed the Indian legislature at the central level to consider legalisation of sports betting within the country,” said Singhania.
In 143-page judgment, the magistrates agreed with the committee that sports betting and match fixing were not the same when they gave their stamp of approval for the legalisation of sports betting in India. The SC, however, left the decision to make sports betting legal in India to the Parliament since the issue involves the enactment of a Law which is a matter that may be examined by the Law Commission and the Government.
The SC pointed out that betting by administrators Players, Match Officials, Team Officials, Owners, etc., should continue to be an offense under the BCCI and IPL Rules and Regulations. As safeguard against match-fixing, the SC suggested certain measures like preparing Cricketers Handbook for young players, arranging lectures and interactions with cricket players and sport persons of unimpeachable integrity with regard to game ethics.
