Youth in Telangana are betting on money through mobile phones; despite the ban, online betting continues unabated in the state:

News Topical, Digital Desk : Nowadays, online gambling has become a trend and everyone is losing their hard-earned money by getting involved in online betting. According to a survey conducted by Public Response Against Helplessness and Action for Redressal (PRAHAR), an NGO, most of the people involved in online gambling and betting in Telangana are in the age group of 18 to 25 years.

NGO Prahar conducted a survey in Telangana

On Friday, an event was organised by NGO Prahar in Telangana to create awareness about online betting and gambling and also discussed the survey conducted in Telangana. The survey, conducted over the last six weeks, covered 2,761 bettors across the state.

Youth investing money through social media

It found that most of the respondents who gamble come from the lower income group, with about 38% earning less than Rs 15,000 per month. The study focused on users accessing betting platforms through apps available on the Play Store as well as links available on Telegram or advertisements on social media.

Telegram popular alternatives

Players are careful not to reveal their true identities while betting, which made VPN the most popular choice used by 69% of respondents. Telegram links come in second place with 20%, said Prahar Chairman Abhay Raj during a press conference.

Online betting continues unhindered in the state

Other findings highlighted that online betting continues unabated in the state despite the ban. The survey found, for example, that 87% of respondents said they gamble online every day, and 89% of respondents said betting sites are easily accessible. Most respondents - 96% - were aware that it is also illegal.

Most of them said they got involved in betting to earn easy money. An NGO member said the prospect of winning a large sum of money with a nominal investment attracted 86 per cent of users, while 56 per cent continued betting because they thought others would win big.

I lost more money than I made

The respondents claimed that they have lost more than what they had invested. According to the data, 79 per cent of the punters reported losses of more than Rs 50,000. He suggested that Telangana should consider imposing a conditional ban like Tamil Nadu.