Opinion: From Entertainment to Offence–human cost of India’s online gambling boom

Hyderabad: In recent years, what started for many as a mere form of entertainment has spiralled into innumerable losses through a devastating addiction–gambling in online games involving large sums of money.

Son turns against father in Gopanpally

One of its recent tragedies was witnessed in Hyderabad’s suburb, Gopanpally.

Kethavath Ravinder, 19, allegedly killed his father after he lost Rs 6 lakhs in online betting. The money was a loan his father had secured for his engineering coaching by mortgaging property. When he was interrogated about the money lost to risky betting, he tried to divert by saying that his father had died by suicide over immense financial distress.

Alarming rise in trend

This tragic event is not an isolated incident but a glimpse of the larger and rapidly growing issue.

This has been seen in young professionals, students and even homemakers who fall prey to the lure of online gambling platforms.

In India, the online gambling platforms are not only easily accessible on your phones and laptops but are also being advertised on the local trains of Mumbai to the metros of Delhi. The speed of the Indian digital expansion has fuelled the growth of the paid online gaming (fantasy sports, rummy, poker, etc.). This has brought with it a large number of psychological vulnerabilities, due to which we also see these behavioural issues turning into prosecutable offences.

What makes online gambling more addictive than traditional games?

Nirali Bhatia, a cyber psychologist and psychotherapist, was asked about why online gambling is more addictive than the traditional forms: “They (online gaming apps) are addictive because it is extremely easily accessible, plus there is speed and personalisation.”

She also mentioned how traditional gambling and online gambling differ.

In traditional gambling, there is physical movement, there are certain time restrictions, etc., but online platforms are available 24/7, which makes you act impulsively, also very easily and more often.

“Plus, social cues are absent, like you are not seeing others win or lose in person, so it reduces the restraints. You are in your comfort zone with your trusted device, and hence you fail to see the dangers or any kind of restrictions,” Nirali added.

The role of celebrity endorsements in promoting online betting

Celebrity endorsements play a big role in creating an environment which influences people’s choices in indulging in online betting/gambling.

The advertisements and their virality drive more people towards it.

The mechanism behind the ‘log-in bonus’ and the anonymity option

The ‘log-in bonus’–received by every player in the wallet when they first sign up for the game–is the one that seals the deal.

The fact that they are giving us money to start playing the game is where most Indians get sold. The user engagement also heightened during the Covid-19 pandemic, especially affecting those who are economically stressed, unemployed youth and students. These platforms are so easily accessible, and they provide anonymity which is unprecedented–no stigma and no commute, just a tap away.

These bring a person under the blurred lines between ‘gaming’ and ‘gambling’, as well as being ‘just entertainment’ and ‘addiction.’

Psychological tricks behind gambling addiction

These companies have mastered the art of keeping a person hooked. The psychological tricks are skilfully used, and the person does not take long to get addicted.

Behavioural reinforcement is the most common tactic.

In psychology, this technique is used to change unwanted behaviours into ones that are wanted. However, the same can be and is being used for growing negative behaviours. This technique is called a variable ratio reinforcement schedule – the rewards for a certain behaviour are unpredictable, but that is what addicts you to a dopamine loop. This is when a win triggers dopamine, which is your happy hormone and the loss triggers ‘chasing’ behaviour. This behaviour leads the player to gamble more to recover what is lost.

Cognitive distortions can be called thinking errors in layman’s terms. They are basically irrational and exaggerated thought patterns that warp our perception of reality. These errors, more often than not, lead to negative behaviours.

The cognitive distortions that the companies that addict a person to gambling online use are very nuanced. Some of them are:

1. Illusion of control: A belief that the player has that their skill can influence what is a chance-based outcome.

2. Near-miss effect: A loss that feels like they ‘almost won’. This is the most effective in encouraging persistence.

3. Gambler’s fallacy: A belief that a win is ‘due’ after repeated losses.

People who tend to lose themselves in the trap of such real-money online gambling can be seen to have high impulsivity, and they may score high on sensation-seeking as well. They might be low on willpower as well as have poor emotional regulation. The vulnerable groups of India are being disproportionately targeted by such apps and have turned gambling into a psychosocial trap.

Socio-legal context in India

The Public Gambling Act of 1867 prohibits gambling in physical spaces but has no clarity on online platforms since it is an outdated legislation.

As the times changed and new methods of gambling kept rolling out, Indian courts defended ‘fantasy sports’ to be a ‘game of skill’. However, some of the states like Telangana and Andhra Pradesh saw the reality and nipped the problem in the bud.

Advocate Pankaj Bafna explained how the law enforcement agencies would club these offences with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.

“It was unorganised, and that is why it was booming then. There was no particular department, no permissions and no licensing. That is why these gaming and betting apps flourished,” Pankaj Bafna added.

In August 2025, the Parliament passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025.

This Act bans all online money games, whether they are skill-based, chance-based or hybrid. The new law makes offering and enabling such services punishable. The jail term is to enable such services in 3 years, and a fine of Rs 1 crore.

Promoting these apps or any such service is punishable with 2 years in prison as well as Rs 50 lakh in fine. Users of such services will be considered as victims and not offenders.

According to the advocate, “Now that suddenly the law came out, compliance, restrictions and penalties are now making an effect on them.” He also mentioned that this new law can close the gaps present in the previous law.

The government justified this ban by saying that these games are causing psychological as well as financial harm, addiction among youth and overlap with illicit activities such as fraud and even money laundering.

Banning is not a complete fix

From the perspective of a cyber psychologist, banning these platforms of online gaming is not a 100 per cent, full-proof solution to this.

Nirali mentioned that at a surface level, the access is made difficult, but the underlying need or the psychological drivers are not being addressed.

“Addictions stem from a certain emotional need or a stress-driven behaviour. Now, addiction is rooted in your cognitive distortions and emotional regulation problems, and reward-seeking behaviours. Bans cannot address these.”

More of a regulatory issue

According to her, without treatment, education and support systems, an individual will not be able to manage their behaviour and will always find alternatives, which may not always be legal or shift to any other addictive activity. “So, pornography is a great example. In our country, pornography is banned, but do we know that India consumes a lot of pornography? That is what a ban will do,” Nirali Bhatia added.

The law currently is looking at gambling as more of a regulatory issue and not one that impacts the mental health of millions of people. While this issue is also a problem for the criminal justice system, we should be aware of the effective implementation of prevention as well as rehabilitation of people stuck in this problem.

Forensic psychology and criminal implications

When the entertainment from gambling becomes a serious addiction, criminal behaviour is generally a few steps away. It occurs mostly due to the financial desperation that comes with this addiction. Common crimes that are seen are: embezzlement, fraud, theft, cybercrimes and even domestic violence when family disputes arise over losses.

Impulsivity in behaviour, poor planning, as well as emotional dysregulation are some of the symptoms we may see in people who are addicted. The companies use the psychological trick of trying to motivate the person not just by greed, but also by their desperation to recover from their loss.

Nirali spoke about a personal client experience about psychological factors seen commonly in people addicted to gambling: “Gambling often leads to anxiety, depression and heightened stress. Mood swings, irritability, feelings of hopelessness when the losses pile up are very common.”

When it comes to the psychological impacts of the gambling addiction, the expert mentioned that there is also an increased sense of isolation due to anonymity or secrecy and withdrawal from others, you start lying, you start hiding things, and even socially, you start disconnecting because you end up preferring this over any other engagement.

Some also struggle with self-esteem issues, guilt and shame, especially when financial losses start mounting up. “Over time, all these factors feed into a cycle of avoidance and escapism in real-life situations,” Nirali said.

Online gambling is forcing hand into criminal behaviour

There have been several cases which have brought forward the criminal impact of this addiction, including children stealing savings from their parents, employees diverting company funds and even cyber fraud.

Courts in India have rarely seen gambling addiction to be evidence that suggests that a reduced charge or a lesser sentence should be given for the crime, rather than excusing it (mitigating factor). Instead, the offenders are faced with incarceration without any professional help, which only increases their risk of relapse.

Gambling disorder is often called a ‘hidden addiction’ because signs only emerge after severe damage. The damage that is commonly seen in people who are addicted is financial ruin, job loss, academic decline and mental health deterioration. The families are impacted by the children being neglected, marital breakdowns, and, in some extreme cases, domestic violence and deaths.

The family often experience considerable secondary trauma in this situation.

Intervention and rehabilitation

Psychological approaches could help approach addiction with the intention to heal.

By correcting distortions such as ‘chasing losses’ through Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), the techniques of psychology being used for the bad can be overturned. Motivational Interviewing, where the willingness to quit is enhanced, will also work. For preventing relapse, coping strategies need to be taught to the people.

The resort of diversion programs can be made for offenders who have a gambling disorder instead of incarceration for them, and mandatory counselling as a part of their probation or parole. There should be school-level education on behavioural addictions through professionals.

Therapeutic support will help in recovery

The solution to the problem of addiction to gambling due to these online money-based games is not in punishment alone, but it needs psychological treatment, legal reforms, as well as public health initiatives.

A therapeutic ecosystem with a balance of regulation as well as recovery is required.

Online gambling addiction is emerging as a pressing challenge for Indian citizens.

It has been thriving in the legal grey zone and exploiting vulnerable populations. This ban is an address to the symptom and not the root cause. From the lens of a forensic psychologist, online gambling is not just an ‘individual vice’ but it affects multiple social systems throughout a country as collectivist as India.

While banning these applications is a necessity and a welcome move, the true challenge will come in effectively dismantling and preventing their digital presence.

Tanisha Agrawal has a Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology from the National Forensic Sciences University. She worked as a researcher on the ‘Motivations and morals of informants and their perspective of the law enforcement’. Tanisha’s book ‘Corona Uncos’ demonstrates her passion for real-time stories of how Covid-19, both positively and negatively, impacted people globally. She continues her work in Forensic Psychology.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of NewsMeter.