U.K. Government Endorses Online Sports Betting in India

Posted: September 10, 2010

Updated: October 4, 2017

Now this is an interesting reaction to the recent cricket scandal involving three Pakistani players, and perhaps it’s ultimately the most rational

Now this is an interesting reaction to the recent cricket scandal involving three Pakistani players, and perhaps it’s ultimately the most rational one possible. No less an authority than the U.K. government has reportedly backed the full legalization of sports betting – and particularly online sportsbooks – in India.

The Telegraph yesterday reported that sport minister Hugh Robertson will be representing the government and the Gambling Commission, the overseer of land-based and online casinos in the United Kingdom, in attempting “to persuade countries where [illegal] syndicates operate to make betting legal, so that the markets can be regulated.”

Robertson will take the case directly to his Indian counterpart, M.S. Gill, during the Commonwealth Sports Ministers summit in New Delhi next month. Robertson will also be meeting with International Cricket Council president/Indian minister of agriculture Sharad Pawar to discuss corruption in international cricket.

The most recent scandal to rock international cricket involved undercover journalists arranging the bribing of three Pakistani bowlers during a week-long test match with England.

Online gambling in India is strictly forbidden by a law based in the 19th century. With most online sportsbooks in the UK offering easily-accessible cricket betting to Indian punters, however, they just go there.

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