Newdelhi.net The information, travel and visitor local guide to New Delhi Capital of India

Betting on cricket is today, in terms of monetary turn-over and volume of transactions, perhaps the biggest organised racket in the country. According to rough estimates, the turn-over for a one-day match in any part of the world which is being telecast live in India is to the tune of hundreds of crores. A primary reason for the growth of this racket is the relatively liberal provisions of the Public Gambling Act. The ingredients and punishments under this Act differ from State to State. Even as it is debatable whether betting on cricket attracts provisions of this Act, since cricket theoretically is a game of skill, the maximum punishment under this Act, for example in Delhi, for a first offence is imprisonment for 6 months and a fine of Rs. 1000/- and for subsequent offences, a maximum punishment of imprisonment for 1 year and a fine of Rs. 2000/-. Hence, for a bookie or a punter dealing in crores of rupees, the provisions of this Act are no major cause for worry.

2 During the enquiry, it was also learnt that the lure of easy money has gradually attracted the underworld into this racket. It seems that it is only a matter of time before major organised gangs take direct control of this racket, a phenomenon that would have implications not only for cricket but for national security as a whole.

MANIPULATIONS

Betting on cricket, having emerged as a major organised racket, it makes sound common snese for both bookies and punters to manipulate results according to their financial interests. For example, if a bookie wants to 'fix' a favourite team to lose, he would naturally rake in a huge amount of money at the cost of punters who generally place bets on the favourite team. A punter can also 'fix' a team according to his financial interests and place heavy bets with a number of bookies which would result in major gains for him. Or enquiry has disclosed that results of cricket matches are manipulated or attempted to be manipulated by both the bookies as well as punter. Apart from 'fixing' matches, 'performance fixing' of individual players can also help the betting syndicate in 'spread betting'. Specific details of this aspect will be discussed later.

Related Stories...

Lucknow stunned

Indian help sought

After the fix, withdrawal symptoms

Fear stalks English cricket

CBI report has loopholes, failed to probe certain angles

Match-fixing: BCCI delays judgement

Australian media hails CBI report into match-fixing

Jadeja manhandles photographer

Filing of corruption case against Azhar,Ajay Sharma possible

Former Pak capt. Asif Iqbal big player in match fixing

England silent on Stewart's involvement in matchfixing

Ranatunga, De Silva summoned by Sri Lankan board

They says

Bottom Border


	Cybersoft Internet Solutions New Delhi India Phone: 578 6274, 578 9247 TeleFax: 573 6189 Email: newdelhi@newdelhi.net Phone From Outside India : + 91-11-578 9247, 578 6274. Fax From Outside India : + 91-11-573 6189. Privacy Policy - Disclaimer International Copyright (C) 1995-2000 Cybersoftsystems.com and respective partners.