Indian cricket chief against legalisation of sports betting

The new head of the Anti-Corruption Unit of the Board of Control for Cricket in India says the legalisation of sports bettingwould encourage match-fixing.

India.- Shabir Hussein Shekhadam Khandwawala, the new head of the Anti-Corruption Unit of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has said that he is firmly against the possibility of legalising sports betting in India.

Unlike his predecessor, who had stated that legalising betting would be the most effective means of preventing corruption within the game, Khandwawala believes legal sports betting would encourage match-fixing.

He said: “We can make the rules more strict. We will work on that. It is a matter of great prestige that cricket is largely free of corruption. Credit should go to the BCCI for that.” 

Cricket remains India’s most popular sport. There is a huge underground cricket betting market said to be worth between US$45bn and US$150bn a year. Around 80 per cent of illegal sports betting in India is on Cricket.

Four more people were arrested following allegations of cricket betting operations during India’s recent test match against England.

Khandwawala said: “Rooting out corruption from smaller events and leagues is a big challenge and we need to put an end to it. We need to ensure there is nothing shady happening at all levels of cricket being played in the country.”