‘Legalise bets, clean up game’

United Kingdom’s minister for sport, Hugh Roberston, says legalising betting will help make sports — and, more specifically, cricket — cleaner.

United Kingdom’s minister for sport, Hugh Roberston, says legalising betting will help make sports — and, more specifically, cricket — cleaner.

HT Image

Speaking exclusively to Hindustan Times, he hoped India would move in that direction. Betting is not legal in India.

Robertson suggested this might be brought up when the Commonwealth Sports Ministers meet on Monday.

“Even if betting is not legal, it happens anyway. If you legalise it, the police or any monitoring agency can take action,” Robertson said.

“Illegal betting syndicates are the problem,” he said.

Though Roberston was not certain if this would be on the agenda of the sports ministers’ meet, he said, “the issue might be raised” since many Commonwealth countries play cricket.

Robertson also said he will be meeting ICC president Sharad Pawar on Monday to discuss the match-fixing drama that rocked Pakistan’s tour of England.

The minister also said the Queen’s decision to not come for the Games was ‘not political’ and that it might be possible she was handing over the legacy to her heir apparent, Prince Charles.