Title: Persistent Allegations of Number Lottery Gambling in Suburbs of Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Subtitle: Local Police Urged to Take Decisive Action as Poor Laborers Fall Victim to Deceptive Gambling Syndicates
Date: July 16, 2023
In violation of the 2003 ban on the sale of lottery tickets in Tamil Nadu, there are ongoing allegations of number lottery gambling in the suburbs of Chennai. BBC Tamil conducted a field survey to investigate these claims and uncovered shocking evidence of the existence and operation of number lottery gangs. The investigation shed light on their recruitment methods, money transfer processes, and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals.
The number lottery gangs first target customers by setting up small shops and kiosks in less crowded areas of Chennai’s suburbs. Daily wage workers, auto drivers, college students, and youth are enticed by their passion for number lottery gambling. To attract more customers, the gangs create WhatsApp groups where they publish lists of three or five numbers. Participants are required to purchase one or multiple numbers by paying a specified amount of money. Deception is employed when they promise to multiply the prize by a thousand times if the number they purchase is the winning one.
This illicit number lottery gambling predominantly focuses on lottery sales from various states like Kerala, Bhutan, and Assam. It has expanded from a few locations to numerous towns across Tamil Nadu. Individuals involved in this activity risk losing significant amounts of money, with some earning only a few thousand rupees while losing lakhs. The prize money is announced to range between 100 rupees and 5 lakh rupees, depending on the cost of the number lottery ticket.
The impact of this gambling on ordinary people is devastating. A real estate broker from Avadi, who wished to remain anonymous, shared his experience of losing up to four lakh rupees in the last two years alone. While struggling to support his family, his passion for number lottery gambling remained unchanged, urging him to gamble every day. Like him, thousands of people face financial hardships as they lose their meager daily incomes to this illicit operation.
These gambling syndicates have started utilizing technology to facilitate their activities. With an increasingly large customer base, it becomes impractical for individuals to personally select numbers or make payments. As a result, WhatsApp groups are established, connecting customers with the gangs. A daily list of four-digit numbers is issued, allowing customers to select any number and register by paying between 20 and 110 rupees per number. Payments are made through digital platforms such as Paytm and Pay.
The winning results and prize money are awarded based on the numbers drawn in lottery tickets from Kerala and Assam. The prize money, ranging from 70,000 to 5 lakh rupees, is distributed the same evening or the following morning. No physical presence is required for the purchase of tickets, as payments are made through ZPay, Phone Pay, and Paytm. Each area involved in this gambling collects up to 20 lakh rupees per day.
To address this pressing issue, Bhaskar, a social activist and Secretary of State for the Ten Rupees Movement, urges the police to take immediate action to eradicate this form of gambling. He emphasizes how these gangs exploit hardworking individuals by offering the illusion of great fortune at the expense of their financial security. Many indebted individuals have lost their homes and belongings, some tragically resulting in suicide. The illicit number lottery gambling network spans hundreds of agents across the district, swindling crores of rupees.
While the sale of lottery tickets has been banned in Tamil Nadu, the police have yet to effectively address the prevalence of gambling under the guise of Cotton Jackpot in the suburbs of Chennai. The newly appointed Commissioner of Police for Avadi Corporation, Shankar I.P.S, promises decisive action to tackle this issue. Having already dealt with similar complaints during his tenure as Salem City Police Commissioner, he is determined to form a special force if necessary to combat number lottery gambling and protect the lives of the vulnerable.
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