At least seven people have died in Telangana within a month due to the spiraling influence of online betting apps, triggering public outrage and a high-level government response. Six of the victims reportedly died by suicide, while one was murdered by a fellow gambler.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has responded by establishing a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to crack down on digital gambling operations. Online betting remains officially banned in Telangana, but users have been bypassing restrictions using VPNs, gaining access to apps such as Slice, Lucky Kismat, and JDB Gaming.
One of the most tragic cases involved a student who took his own life after losing ₹2.65 lakh (USD $3,110) during the IPL season. Others include a 25-year-old man who was saving for his sister’s wedding and a 22-year-old driven to despair by mounting losses.
Edire Laxmi, mother of 21-year-old Sai Kumar who set himself afire allegedly due to mounting debts accumulated through online betting, at her mother’s house in Pochamma Basti of Rangareddy district, about an hour’s drive from Hyderabad.
SIT officers say that while Indian-licensed platforms have geo-blocked Telangana, unregulated foreign operators are thriving in the vacuum, with an estimated 70 active investigations currently underway. Prominent Telangana lawmakers, including Reddy, have launched public awareness campaigns, warning youth about the dangers of gambling addiction and calling for national-level regulation.
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This alarming trend places Telangana at the center of India’s digital gambling debate — with lives, livelihoods, and legislative authority all on the line.
