Chennai, Dec 22 Highlighting that 17 people have committed suicide in a year due to online gambling, PMK President Anbumani Ramadoss urged the Tamil Nadu government to expedite the pending Supreme Court case to enforce a ban on it.
In a statement, he cited the recent tragedy of a young man, Akash, from Saidapet, who ended his life after losing all his savings in online gambling. "Akash had spent all his savings and borrowed money from others to gamble online. He also lost Rs 30,000, which was meant for his mother’s medical treatment. This devastating incident is yet another example of how online gambling pushes families into deep debt and despair," he said.
Ramadoss recalled that online gambling had been banned twice due to protests led by the PMK. However, the government’s inability to justify the bans in court resulted in their nullification, further worsening the situation, he rued.
After the Madras High Court struck down the ban on games of skill on November 10, 2023, 17 suicides, including Akash’s, have been reported, he added.
Ramadoss emphasised that the only way to prevent further suicides is by obtaining a stay order from the Supreme Court against the High Court’s ruling.
He criticised the government for its delay, pointing out that it was able to bring an appeal to transfer the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy case to the CBI within five days, yet the appeal against online gambling has been pending for over a year.
Raising concerns about the government’s intentions, he questioned whether it was acting in favour of online gambling firms. "Is this a government for the people or for online gambling companies? The government must wake up and ensure the appeal is heard at the earliest to ban online gambling," he urged.
Akash, a 26-year-old catering delivery worker, became addicted to online rummy during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Akash, who lived with his cancer-stricken mother and younger brother after losing his father, used the Rs 30,000 saved for her treatment to gamble online.
When his mother and brother discovered the missing money and confronted him, he left home on Friday evening.
Despite the family’s frantic search, his body was found on the terrace of their home the following morning.
Kottupuram police in Chennai have registered a case and initiated an investigation. Over the past four years, 48 suicides in Tamil Nadu have been linked to addiction to online betting apps and online loan frauds.
These incidents highlight the growing crisis caused by unregulated online gambling. The Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority (TNOGA) has committed to taking strict action against those promoting online gambling and betting apps.
Citizens are encouraged to report gambling activities or provide suggestions on regulating online games via www.tnonlinegamingauthority.com or email at tnoga@tn.gov.in.
The Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Act, 2022, prohibits online gambling, betting, and games of chance.
Violators face up to three months of imprisonment, a fine of up to Rs 5,000, or both. Financial institutions and payment gateways are also prohibited from facilitating transactions related to online gambling.
Advertisements promoting such activities are banned across all media in Tamil Nadu.
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