Supreme Court panel backs legalised betting in India

A Supreme Court-appointed panel in India has recommended that the country consider legalising sports betting.

Headed up by former chief justice Rajendra Mal Lodha, the three-person panel was appointed after a number of corruption scandals at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the sport’s national governing body.

Incidents include allegations of corruption, match-fixing and crooked umpires in the country’s Indian Premier League Twenty20 club competition.

In a report seen by the AFP news agency, the panel concluded that allowing and regulating sports betting in India would not only help cricket, but also boost the country’s economy.

According to the Reuters news agency, Lodha added: “We have suggested to the legislature for legalising betting.

Lodha also said that the BCCI should have an “in-built mechanism” to ensure that players and administrators do not wager on matches.

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