India is losing around Rs 2 lakh crore annually because of illegal betting on cricket, according to a rough estimate made by the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF). The AIGF is a not-for-profit entity and an apex body which focuses on policy advocacy, research and forum for discussion among various stakeholders associated with the gaming industry. The huge amount India loses by way of illegal cricket betting can “rather be collected as tax”.
“If gambling is legalised, that mountain of dirty money would stop going to the criminals and could be collected as tax. The government currently loses out lakhs of crores of rupees annually due to the illegal gambling black-market. That money can be spent cracking down on other forms of crimes that are more harmful to society,” Bhardwaj added.
