ESSA Statement: Law Commission report proposing a regulatory framework for betting in India

Brussels, 6 July 2018: “ESSA welcomes the Law Commission’s recommendation to licence and regulate sports betting in India. We strongly encourage Parliament and state legislatures to enact the broad premise of the Law Commission’s recommendations and in line with the detailed response ESSA provided to the consultation last year. As the Law Commission states, prohibition has been ineffective and has resulted in widespread unlicensed betting. The only way to address that and the significant integrity issues it brings is to enact a clear regulatory framework for betting. Such action will undoubtedly have sizable possible economic and integrity impacts. ESSA is ready to work closely with Indian sports and authorities to ensure and maintain the integrity of sporting events within that new framework,” stated Khalid Ali, Secretary General of ESSA (Sports Betting Integrity).

ESSA detailed response to the Law Commission’s report can be accessed here: https://www.eu-ssa.org/wp-content/uploads/Indian-Law-Commission-review-June-2017-FINAL.pdf

The Law Commission of India’s report is here: https://lawcommissionofindia.nic.in/reports/Report276.pdf

About ESSA

ESSA’s members include: 888sport, ABB, Bet-at-Home, Betclic, Betdaq, Betfred, Betsson, BetStars, BetVictor, Betway, bet365, bwin, Cashpoint, Expekt, Fonbet, Gamesys, Interwetten, Ladbrokes Coral, Paddy Power Betfair, Sky Bet, Sportingbet, Sporting Index, Sportium, Stanleybet, Stoiximan, Unibet and William Hill. For more information see ESSA’s website at https://www.eu-ssa.org/or visit us on twitter: @ESSA_Betting

The association plays a key role as the regulated betting sector’s representative body at national and international match-fixing policy forums and holds positions on working groups at the European Commission, Council of Europe and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The organisation is continually reassessing and improving its alert and reporting systems and has established information sharing arrangements with a range of sports bodies and regulatory authorities.