Srinagar: In the old city of Srinagar, amidst all the haste of wedding preparations, hopes and dreams crashed down for one family. Their son, who had once been proud of his MBA and supposed job with a multinational company, had slipped into the dangerous world of online gambling.
What was meant to be an innocuous experiment in online cricket betting spiralled out of control, leaving the family deep in debt. October-pledged weddings had to be cancelled. That's not a singular tale; across Kashmir, the stealthy menace of online gambling is quietly destroying lives.
Interestingly, an annual report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reveals that online gambling is showing an upward trend in India. The report claims that easy-to-access apps and lax regulations fuel this trend in the country.
However, this new addiction is affecting millions of people across the country, and also Jammu and Kashmir, where unemployment runs high but the internet is accessible to all, has become a hotspot.
Experts believe that more than 80 per cent of users of online betting suffer acute financial losses, followed by the vicious cycle of borrowing, betting, and deeper despair.
More dangerous is the fact that most youth and many young people remain unconscious of the psychological evils involved in the addiction. For youth in Kashmir, this has acquired alarming momentum because of a paucity of job prospects and high economic pressures.
Dr. Fazle Roub, a Srinagar-based specialist who helps people overcome addiction and mental health issues, feels that online gambling addiction often comes with other psychological struggles. "Online gambling is observed mostly among people who suffer from depression, anxiety, or low self-esteem," he explains.
"There is a surge in cases related to online gambling in Kashmir, but many go unreported. Around three per cent of the cases I see every day are directly linked to online gaming or betting. But that's just a small fraction of the actual problem."
Dr Roub believes that online gambling apps make it all too easy for people to fall into the trap: "They don't look like typical gambling platforms. To parents, they might seem like innocent mobile games. But when someone gets hooked, it's difficult to break free."
According to him, most of those affected are in the age group of 15 and 40 years, the age when the transition phase of life is on. "Because of this addiction, it's not only the money that is lost but the emotional toll — the anxiety and depression that follow the losses. This can create a cycle of despair, where the individual feels compelled to keep gambling in hopes of winning it all back, but instead loses more," he said.
Online gambling has far-reaching consequences, not just confined to mere psychological effects but also financial and social impact as well claims a senior police officer in Srinagar's Cyber Cell.
The officer believes easy online betting has become an attractive yet dangerous source of quick money for many. "People get lured in because they believe they can make easy money, and that rarely happens. What actually happens is that people end up in piling debts, strained relationships, and broken families," the official said.
Such a growing addiction also often is tied to other problems, such as drug abuse, theft, or even cybercrime. The officer stressed that the problem requires coordination and support from the government, law enforcers, and local NGOs.
"We can do so much in trying to raise awareness, but collective action might be necessary to stop this cycle of addiction. The longer this situation is not addressed, the worse it is going to get for families and society," the officer said.
There, religious teachings exert such great influence on the lives of people that religious scholars, too, have not refrained themselves from criticizing online gambling. For the Grand Mufti of Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam, religion has a bright place in preventing such a growing tendency.
"Gambling is prohibited in Islam," he said. "Charity begins at home and as such parents must be vigilant. They must also educate their children about the risks of online gambling. Meanwhile, the government must also take steps to regulate and keep a check on these platforms".
In his sermons, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has also voiced his profound concern over the growing popularity of internet gambling, characterising it as a serious threat that is encroaching on society alongside the existing drug addiction issue.
He claimed that in order to pay off debts generated by their gambling-dependent members, who are primarily young men, many families have been compelled to sell their homes and other assets. "In Islam, gambling in every form is strictly prohibited as it breeds greed and avarice and ruins lives, razing our spiritual and moral foundation," he stated.
Additionally, he linked the development to the state's startling 40 per cent youth unemployment rate, which he claimed pushes many people to take risky shortcuts like internet gambling out of desperation.
One father, who did not want to be named, cited the pain of seeing his son fall into the trap of online gambling. "Last year, my son won Rs 75 lakh during an online cricket betting game," he recalls, his voice laced with sorrow.
"He told us he had a remote (Work From Home) job in a multinational company and was making a good salary. We trusted him, but soon we learned that he was betting online. It wasn't very long before he lost everything — his savings, his sister's wedding gold, and even the loans he took out to feed his addiction. Now we're left with a debt of over Rs 2 crore, and his sister's wedding is cancelled."
The damage to the family has been deep-seated. "My son is now in a state of depression and is being counselled by psychologists. Our lives are ruined, and I don't know how to fix it," the father adds.
Another family in Budgam shares almost the same stories. A 24-year-old woman, also an addict of online betting, narrates her story with a lot of regret. "Until last month, my family was not aware of my addiction. I started betting due to peer pressure, and at first, I won big. But then I lost everything—around Rs 30 lakh. I even sold my grandmother's necklace which she had gifted me. I was addicted, and I didn't know how to quit."
She continues, "I was compelled to open up my mother to a doctor who advised that she take me to see a psychologist. It's tough since seeking psychological help is still a taboo in families like mine. But since I began counselling, I understand the depth of damage I have caused, not only financially but emotionally too. My family's reputation is marred, and I'm struggling with suicidal thoughts."
While the problem of online gambling continues to grow, there is hope. Experts believe that to break the cycle of addiction is a bit of a multi-pronged approach. "It requires public awareness campaigns, stiffer regulations on gambling apps, and greater access to mental health care," Dr. Roub feels.
