Govt Puts A Ban On Online Betting; Does This Bring An End To All Gambling-Related Worries?

The Indian government has banned advertisements of online betting platforms on digital, print and electronic media on Monday, June 13. In its advisory, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has asked multimedia companies to not advertise internet gambling due to public interest.

Many believe that betting encourages financial and socio-economic risk-taking among the audience, especially the youth. It has also added that gambling is already prohibited in various states of India.

Paving The Way Forward

In support of the decision by the Centre, many people have claimed that it is the first step in curbing and banning such online betting activities, stopping the youth from getting addicted.

Associate Professor of Pannalal Girdharlal Dayanand Anglo-Vedic College (PGDAV), University of Delhi, Pawan Chand, wrote on Twitter, "Swadeshi Jagran Munch already raised this issue. The time has come to ban all such online betting apps in India. They are pushing our Youths into speculative businesses which have no life."

The founder of Cibert, a Hyderabad-based database management company, took to Twitter, "this is very much needed pan-India, please ban online games where illegal betting is done. Youth, students' families are getting destroyed."

According to a study conducted by 'My Betting In', 44.6% of people betting online are between 18 to 24 years of age. The online betting industry is valued at around $60 billion in India, with a 20 per cent growth annually, as reported by Taxscan in 2021.

Feasibility Of A Blanket-Ban

Citizens usually believe that the state's moral duty directs it to ban such activities harming youth and causing addiction and financial risks. However, in India, banning has never fully worked for other problems, such as firecrackers in Delhi, as there are not enough resources, efficacy and systematic implementation to regulate public behaviour and scrutinise.

A mathematician at Loughborough University, United Kingdom, Bill Crean, argued that banning itself cannot solve the root of the problem. There is a need to educate people about the actual truth of betting, and it would die a natural death in society.

"As a mathematician, I am always aware of the risks and probabilities in most gambling. As I can see no way of making a regular and consistent profit...The only people, who make money out of gambling, are the organisers, who set the parameters of their gambling business," he said.

'Responsible Gambling'

State implementation ban is more straightforward said than done. The crux of the issue stems from individual behaviour and awareness.

'Responsible Gambling' is a term that implies ethical betting and informed decision-making by the player. It is committing oneself not to get addicted to online betting through several mechanisms.

Firstly, 'reality check', where notifications on your device tell you to stop playing. Secondly, setting time limits that cut you out of the game and having deposit limits and credit card restrictions close the account altogether. Thus, at an individual level, keeping ourselves in check is essential.

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