Kashmir, once revered as the “Peer Veer”, the garden of rishis and sufis, is now grappling with the devastating consequences of online gambling. This insidious addiction has taken hold of our youth, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Families are being torn apart, marriages are crumbling, and individuals are succumbing to the false promise of easy money.
Online gambling, which involves participating in gambling activities through the internet, has become a scourge on our society. With the rise of smartphones and digital payment systems, online gambling has become increasingly accessible, making it easier for people to get hooked. The various forms of online gambling, including casino games, sports betting, and poker, have created a culture of addiction, where individuals become trapped in a vicious cycle of betting, losing, and trying to recoup their losses.
The consequences of online gambling are far-reaching and devastating. Families are being ruined, with individuals losing lakhs of rupees to online gambling platforms. The stress and anxiety caused by these losses are leading to domestic violence, marital breakdowns, and even suicidal tendencies. Women and children are bearing the brunt of this addiction, with many being forced to endure physical and emotional abuse at the hands of their loved ones.
A heart wrenching case that highlights the destructive nature of online gambling is that of a person (name withheld) who lost lakhs of rupees to online gambling. He had been addicted to online gambling for six months, borrowing Rs 2 lakh from his wife with the promise of investing it in a profitable business. When that amount was lost, he borrowed another Rs 3 lakh, falsely claiming that the business was thriving. His wife, trusting him, even sold their gold to give him more money. However, when she refused to give him more, he turned violent, subjecting her and their two children to physical and verbal abuse. The family is now broken, with the wife and children living with her ailing parents.
Other cases of online gambling-related addiction are equally disturbing. A young man from Baramulla lost Rs 42 lakh to online gambling, forcing his parents to sell their house to repay the debt. Another individual from the town gambled away Rs 32 lakh and is now suffering from severe depression. The cases of online gambling-related addiction are multiplying, with many individuals resorting to desperate measures, such as selling their organs, to pay off their debts.
It is imperative that we, as a society, come together to eradicate this menace. We must identify, monitor, and counsel those who are addicted to online gambling, and provide them with the support and resources they need to overcome their addiction. We must also demand that our lawmakers take immediate action to regulate online gambling platforms and prevent them from preying on vulnerable individuals. The time to act is now. We owe it to ourselves, our families, and our community to take a stand against online gambling and reclaim our society from the grip of this addiction.
(Author is associated with the Juvenile Justice System.Feedback: [email protected])
