THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Taking advantage of the boredom caused by the lockdown, online gambling has become a death trap for those who set out to play for profit. The latest one to fall prey to this trap was Kattakada native VH Vineeth who committed suicide after losing Rs 21 lakh in online rummy. In Tamil Nadu alone, 17 people have committed suicide after losing money in online gambling.

From mercenaries to high-ranking officials, people from various sections of the society has lost their money in online gambling. It was his addiction to online gambling that forced Bijulal, an accountant in Vanchiyoor treasury, to swindle Rs 2.70 crore from the treasury.

The most popular online apps are Rummyculture, Rummy Circle, Jungle Rummy, Rummy Guru, Ace ‌ Rummy, Rummy Passion and Silkrummy. There are also commercials starring movie and cricket stars. The game is played using the 13 cards available in the app. A player might win the game and double the amount when he plays using Rs 100 or Rs 500. However, the app will show its true colour when the player plays by depositing more money in e-wallets. The player will eventually find that his wallet has gone empty. The money will be given as a bonus to motivate the player to continue playing. The apps then deceive the players by not issuing the cards and by flipping the card when playing for a large amount. The companies claim that 30 million people play rummy at a time.

As per the Gaming Act of 1960, money betting and gambling are prohibited. However, the Supreme Court has ruled that games that require skill and intelligence will not come within its limits. Rummy is one game that requires skill and hence police are of the view that they cannot register cases against gambling apps. Despite the High Court order to examine every complaint, the police continue to remain helpless.

Tamil Nadu, Assam, Telangana, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have banned online gambling. The punishment is two years in prison.