Will Indian law commission recommend limited online betting?

Following a request by the Supreme Court of India the Law Commission in that country is currently compiling a report on the implications of government permitting limited online wagering.

The idea is to curtail the present flood of illegal sports betting by presenting consumers with a regulated and competitive alternative, according to local media reports, which note that among the suggestions being considered are bets on sport in the cricket-crazy nation, and other, but strictly limited, forms of online gambling.

Justice B.S. Chauhan, the current chairman of the Law Commission is on record as opining that illegal online gambling is difficult to prevent, necessitating the consideration of other strategies such as regulation and licensing under stringent conditions.

Illegal gambling on cricket matches has become increasingly popular in India, where the Commission estimates around US$2.02 billion is wagered annually. Supporters of the regulatory approach claim that it will curtail criminal activity and enable development funds to be generated for Indian sports bodies.

Observers have warned that it is unlikely that the government would pass legislation permitting online gambling on casino-type games, but that limited betting on sports activity may be acceptable; this is the main focus of the Commission.

The Commission is considering a range of potential problems which will need to be addressed by any regulations, including anti-money laundering provisions, responsible gambling requirements, efficient transaction and player tracking, ID verification and measures to prevent underage participation.

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