Pradeep Kumar, 24, a graduate student at Kanpur, has been struggling with gambling addiction for two years. It led him to take loans from multiple sources frequently to cultivate his habits.
“One day, he lost over 125,000 Indian rupees (1,350 euros) on the cricket app that almost destroyed him. We take him to counseling, but he continues to return to his addictive behavior. These apps promise simple money.”
Kumar stories are not uncommon in India. There are many stories of individuals, especially young people, and they lose a significant amount of money that places a serious financial burden on the family.
In southern Telangana, betting apps are also gaining rapid traction. Nizamabad’s three families lost their lives last year after failing to pay back the 3 million rupees (32,400 euros) loans their son had won through online gambling.
Growth Industry
India has over 140 million users who regularly participate in online gambling and betting. These numbers will surge to 370 million users during major events, like the Indian Premier League (IPL) Cricket Tournament.
In addition to the boom in online betting apps, fantasy games have emerged as an important segment of the online gaming industry. Fantasy apps like Dream11, My11Circle, and MPL take advantage of this enthusiasm by allowing users to create virtual teams of real players based on their actual performance and earn points.
According to a 2023 report from the Think Tank Think Change Forum, the segment has over 180 million users and over 300 platforms. Cricket accounts for 85% of revenue, followed by soccer for over 6%.
The Think Think Change Forum points out that factors such as digital infrastructure growth and smartphone use have driven the market. The promotion of betting apps by celebrities and social media influencers is another important factor in their popularity.
“Apps like these may be bets on bets all the time, as they may be able to take over their identity. It affects your financial situation and affects your relationship. If someone is using a betting app repeatedly, or using daily features, this is the time to ask for help.”
I’m obsessed with the hit of dopamine
Anjali Nagpal, a neuropsychiatrist who studied the issue closely, said that “gambling disorders” have quietly become an epidemic in India and are normalising.
“Youth don’t start to feel much when their favorite celebrities publicly promoted all over social media. [it’s] It’s like dangerous activities and trendy things. It creates a false sense of security and when they see their heroes support it, their thoughts are, ‘How bad is that?’,” Nagpal told DW.
Her calculations show that after several wins that cause a dopamine rush, the cycle begins to get smaller and players feel they have achieved.
“But when they chase the bigger reward, they often get pulled deep without realizing it. Even after losing, those early victory memories make them crazy and burn infinite cycles,” Nagpal said.
“The outcomes include severe financial losses, debt, family pressure and constant disappointment, which will seriously hurt your mental health. It will require you to deal with stronger laws strictly and promptly,” Nagpal added.
Are there sufficient laws to control online gambling?
The Indian government has taken steps to curb illegal betting apps. With a lucrative IPL cricket tournament currently underway, the GST Intelligence Bureau (DGGI) has stepped up scrutiny of offshore online gaming entities offering bets.
They also focus their efforts on companies involved in money laundering, operating without licenses, or poses for security risks. There are approximately 700 offshore entities involved in online betting or gambling on the department’s radar. However, I find it difficult to control them.
“Many illegal betting apps are often hosted on servers outside of India in jurisdictions such as Curacao, Malta and Cyprus, where gambling is legal or loosely regulated.
According to the Think Change Forum, the illegal sports betting market receives an estimated inflow of $100 billion a year from India.
In some cases, some betting apps were known to disguise themselves as fantasy platforms to avoid the law.
Fantasy games are legally classified as “games of skills,” and the results rely on the player’s knowledge and strategies in team formation. Conversely, betting is considered a “game of chance” and relies on uncertain events.
“Esports and real money games often come together, but the world is apart. Esports is about skills, strategy and competition. Players spend their practice time and the results are entirely dependent on performance.
Sinha said he is worried about how some of these platforms use the popularity and reliability of video games to sell themselves.
“I think if they were labelled more accurately, the types of surveillance and regulations they face will be very different,” Sinha said.
“There’s a tiny line between bets and these types of apps, especially when targeting younger audiences who may not fully understand risk. Clear definitions and better safeguards are important, not to limit innovation, but to protect users and make sure they’re honest about what these platforms really are.”
Edited by Kate Martyr
