Case for effective steps to check harmful and disruptive impacts of online gambling, now spreading in remote rural communities

By Bharat Dogra

Recently when I was speaking to a group of socially active women from remote villages in Niwari district (Madhya Pradesh) regarding the need for a campaign to reduce consumption of liquor and in fact all intoxicants, one of the women got up to say—We are fully supportive for such a campaign which is really needed, but in addition you should also include in this campaign the urgency of checking mobile phone gambling which is really ruining the life of our children.

This lady immediately got strong support of other women present at the meeting who were so taken up by the new issue that for some time they forgot about the original discussion and started sharing their experiences regarding the highly disruptive and destructive impact of online gambling in their hamlets or even in their families, with children and adolescents being badly affected in particular.

One woman said that she was so fed up with the online gambling addiction of her son that one day in desperation she even threw and broke the mobile phone he was using, but still the addiction of the boy has not gone away entirely, she said. Another woman related how a boy stole money from his own parents to gamble and this led to a crisis situation in the family.

Women related that children and adolescents who take up gambling become very stressed due to the money they lose, online abuse they suffer at times and due to the necessity they feel of hiding all this from their family members. They also become very irritable and get into heated arguments with their near and dear ones all the time. They may even be driven towards situations of even greater desperation without realization among family members regarding what really is causing this. This situation can thus result ultimately in violence and self-violence.

These women were very unhappy that familiar games like cricket and ludo are being converted into means of gambling. Others stated that in some games at the starting point there may be no element of gambling, but once a child has been initiated at a certain stage the gambling element is introduced. Some women added that even if the element of gambling is not there and a game is very stressful and violent, this should be checked as this also can cause a lot of mental stress and imbalance. Others drew attention to the increasing use of mobile phones for accessing various kinds of pornography and expressed the apprehension that this can lead to increase of sexual violence even in remote villages.

Coming back to gambling, however, the apprehensions expressed by these women are supported by studies and expert opinion. A report by the Digital India Foundation revealed recently that digital platforms recorded 1.6 billion (1600 million or 160 crore) visits in just three months across four major websites (reported in The Times of India March 15, report titled ‘India sees explosive rise in online gambling’).

The Diplomat reported last year that India’s online gambling market is estimated to have about 12 million users and it is rapidly growing.

The report by Digital India Foundation has stated, “Despite repeated government actions, including website blocking and advisories, illegal operators continue to thrive, leveraging advanced digital marketing tactics, seamless payment processing and mirror websites to evade enforcement.”

A study by Richard Armitage published in The Lancet and titled ‘Gambling among Adolescents—An Emerging Public Health Problem’ has concluded that problem gambling in the early years of life is likely to be profoundly detrimental to the mental, emotional and social health of children, to negatively impact on development and school performance, and to increase the risk of acquiring other addictions. These consequences may extend well beyond childhood and cause adverse health, social and economic impacts in adult life, this study has stated.

Keeping in view all these factors, clearly there is a strong case for effective steps at several levels to check the highly harmful and disruptive impacts of online gambling, which are now spreading even in remote rural communities and ruining the life of several children and adolescents in particular.

---

The writer is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Protecting Earth for Children, Man over Machine, A Day in 2071, and When the Two Streams Met

Comments

From algorithms to exploitation: New report exposes plight of India's gig workers

By Jag Jivan The recent report, "State of Finance in India Report 2024-25," released by a coalition including the Centre for Financial Accountability, Focus on the Global South, and other organizations, paints a stark picture of India's burgeoning digital economy, particularly highlighting the exploitation faced by gig workers on platform-based services.

'Condonation of war crimes against women and children’: IPSN on Trump’s Gaza Board

By A Representative The India-Palestine Solidarity Network (IPSN) has strongly condemned the announcement of a proposed “Board of Peace” for Gaza and Palestine by former US President Donald J. Trump, calling it an initiative that “condones war crimes against children and women” and “rubs salt in Palestinian wounds.”

Gig workers hold online strike on republic day; nationwide protests planned on February 3

By A Representative Gig and platform service workers across the country observed a nationwide online strike on Republic Day, responding to a call given by the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) to protest what it described as exploitation, insecurity and denial of basic worker rights in the platform economy. The union said women gig workers led the January 26 action by switching off their work apps as a mark of protest.

India’s road to sustainability: Why alternative fuels matter beyond electric vehicles

By Suyash Gupta* India’s worsening air quality makes the shift towards clean mobility urgent. However, while electric vehicles (EVs) are central to India’s strategy, they alone cannot address the country’s diverse pollution and energy challenges.

Jayanthi Natarajan "never stood by tribals' rights" in MNC Vedanta's move to mine Niyamigiri Hills in Odisha

By A Representative The Odisha Chapter of the Campaign for Survival and Dignity (CSD), which played a vital role in the struggle for the enactment of historic Forest Rights Act, 2006 has blamed former Union environment minister Jaynaynthi Natarjan for failing to play any vital role to defend the tribals' rights in the forest areas during her tenure under the former UPA government. Countering her recent statement that she rejected environmental clearance to Vendanta, the top UK-based NMC, despite tremendous pressure from her colleagues in Cabinet and huge criticism from industry, and the claim that her decision was “upheld by the Supreme Court”, the CSD said this is simply not true, and actually she "disrespected" FRA.

Stands 'exposed': Cavalier attitude towards rushed construction of Char Dham project

By Bharat Dogra* The nation heaved a big sigh of relief when the 41 workers trapped in the under-construction Silkyara-Barkot tunnel (Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand) were finally rescued on November 28 after a 17-day rescue effort. All those involved in the rescue effort deserve a big thanks of the entire country. The government deserves appreciation for providing all-round support.

Whither space for the marginalised in Kerala's privately-driven townships after landslides?

By Ipshita Basu, Sudheesh R.C. In the early hours of July 30 2024, a landslide in the Wayanad district of Kerala state, India, killed 400 people. The Punjirimattom, Mundakkai, Vellarimala and Chooralmala villages in the Western Ghats mountain range turned into a dystopian rubble of uprooted trees and debris.

Over 40% of gig workers earn below ₹15,000 a month: Economic Survey

By A Representative The Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, while reviewing the Economic Survey in Parliament on Tuesday, highlighted the rapid growth of gig and platform workers in India. According to the Survey, the number of gig workers has increased from 7.7 million to around 12 million, marking a growth of about 55 percent. Their share in the overall workforce is projected to rise from 2 percent to 6.7 percent, with gig workers expected to contribute approximately ₹2.35 lakh crore to the GDP by 2030. The Survey also noted that over 40 percent of gig workers earn less than ₹15,000 per month.

Fragmented opposition and identity politics shaping Tamil Nadu’s 2026 election battle

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* Tamil Nadu is set to go to the polls in April 2026, and the political battle lines are beginning to take shape. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state on January 23, 2026, marked the formal launch of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s campaign against the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Addressing multiple public meetings, the Prime Minister accused the DMK government of corruption, criminality, and dynastic politics, and called for Tamil Nadu to be “freed from DMK’s chains.” PM Modi alleged that the DMK had turned Tamil Nadu into a drug-ridden state and betrayed public trust by governing through what he described as “Corruption, Mafia and Crime,” derisively terming it “CMC rule.” He claimed that despite making numerous promises, the DMK had failed to deliver meaningful development. He also targeted what he described as the party’s dynastic character, arguing that the government functioned primarily for the benefit of a single family a...

Search This Blog