Indian State Wants to Block Betfair

The latest reports from the Western Indian province of Maharashtra, are its government call on the national ISPs to block the UK betting exchange Betfair because the government believes it is facilitating Indian betting, particularly on corruption-troubled cricket matches. Back in March 2010, after many appeals the provincial government sent to the federal government to block Betfair on all Indian internet service providers, the Bombay High Court ordered that action be taken against Betfair within three months. However, nothing happened, and the site is still accessible and used by bookies for IPL matches betting. Reportedly, eight prominent bookies operate master accounts on Betfair and have created sub-accounts and provided their passwords to sub-dealers in India and Pakistan. It is claimed in one newspaper that "These sub-dealers in turn provide access on the web site to bookies and punters. Accounts are then settled through hawala channels. After the Mumbai Police began cracking down on gambling in 2009, it found that bookies had shifted their operations online. Investigators learnt that prominent bookies had acquired accounts on Betfair." Also a year ago, as part of an investigation of corruption and betting on cricket, Mumbai Police found that bookies were placing wagers on Betfair. Still, the national government denied Maharashtra's requests for federal action, explaining: "The case was examined within the ambit of the provisions of the IT Act (section 69A and the rules published therein). The examination was on the basis of information provided by Maharashtra government and Mumbai Police. "The committee set up under the rules notified under section 69A recommended that based on the facts and data provided by the Maharashtra government and Mumbai Police, violation of section 69A of the IT Act was not established."