The Fate Of Online Lottery Gambling In India

India is home to the world’s largest youth population, more than 250 million. And this humongous population likes to keep itself busy with fun-filled activities and experiences. One such adrenaline-inducing activity is gambling. Indians have, under the radar, been involved in wagering and betting for quite some time. However, with the pandemic gripping the country in its clutch, there has been a meteoric rise in the Judtogel  industry.

Increasing case of suicides due to gambling online:

The internet has facilitated gambling to almost everyone by making it cheap and accessible. With an ever-increasing 560 million smartphone users in the country and access to high-speed internet even in remote areas, the industry is here to rise. Consequently, gambling addiction has become an increasingly persistent problem, especially among 0-30 years. This has led to a rise in the number of suicides as surmounting debt looms around owing to gambling on the internet. Resultantly, many states are considering the prohibition of online gambling. Three Indian states, namely Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, have brought legislation to ban online gaming involving money as a countermeasure to increasing suicides.

Ban or regulation?

The logistics of putting a ban on online gambling doesn’t really work out as the apps used to gamble with still would be freely available on the internet. Due to the vast nature of the internet, a ban is not the most effective tool in hand. Instead regulations can be introduced that not only protect the users from getting exploited but also prevent them from the shackles of addiction the industry brings in. One such solution would be to restrict the usage of gambling apps by bringing in a daily spending limit. Furthermore, such an approach would ensure that the industry brings in tons of employment and revenue for the states.

The Indian Information Technology Act, 2000 is the only piece of legislation that regulates any kind of cyber operation in the country, including online gambling. Also, the law differs from state to state as gambling comes under the ambit of the state and not the centre. This brings in ambiguity as there is no central law for the industry. Such murkiness is detrimental for the development of the gambling market in India. In essence, our country can lose to a potential revenue source if it looks out for a ban instead of regulation. The gambling market is a double- edged sword only if proper regulations are not set in place. However, with the proper action, it can contribute majorly to our country’s economic prosperity.