Online Gambling Crisis in Kashmir: Youth Addicted, Families Shattered, Regulation Missing
By: Javid Amin | Srinagar | 16 July 2025
Kashmir is facing a new form of addiction—not opioids, but algorithms. A silent epidemic of online gambling is gripping the Valley’s youth, masked behind colorful interfaces, enticing games, and promises of instant money. But behind the screen lies a dark spiral of debt, deceit, and despair.
As young people increasingly engage with apps like Aviator, BC Game, and Lotus365, entire families are crumbling under financial losses and emotional trauma. Mental health professionals warn this crisis may soon outpace drug addiction in scope and impact.
How It Begins: From Curiosity to Catastrophe
Gambling addiction doesn’t start with desperation—it begins with dopamine.
Apps are marketed aggressively through:
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Social media influencers
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YouTube gaming streams
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Telegram groups offering “sure-shot tips”
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Pop-up ads targeting youth during cricket matches and movies
The Hook
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Initial free bets or small wins lure users in.
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Soon, they bet larger amounts to chase bigger rewards.
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Losses follow—but by then, addiction has set in.
Most users, unaware of the psychological traps in digital betting, fall prey to loss-chasing behavior—an urge to recover lost money through riskier bets, which only worsens the damage.
“It’s not just about money anymore. It becomes a psychological loop—addictive, consuming, and isolating,”
explains Dr. Asma Yousuf, a clinical psychologist in Srinagar.
Real Stories, Real Losses
Story 1: The ₹1.5 Crore Collapse
A 29-year-old government employee from Srinagar gambled away ₹1.5 crore, including loans and family savings. He eventually sold his house—leaving his wife and two children homeless.
“He started with ₹500 bets. We found out when loan sharks came to our door,” said his father, holding back tears.
Story 2: Baramulla’s Vanishing Youth
A 24-year-old from Baramulla lost ₹42 lakhs over six months. After his parents sold their home to repay debt, he disappeared. The family hasn’t heard from him in over three weeks.
Story 3: Teenage Woes
Even minors are being exposed. A class 11 student from Anantnag lost ₹28,000 from his father’s account by placing bets during the IPL.
These are not isolated incidents. Counselors estimate that hundreds of such cases are currently unreported due to shame, fear, and stigma.
The Mental Health Fallout
Experts warn that online gambling is becoming Kashmir’s fastest-growing addiction. Its impact on mental well-being is severe and widespread.
Common Symptoms Reported:
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Chronic anxiety and guilt
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Panic attacks, insomnia, and restlessness
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Obsessive behavior around phones and apps
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Suicidal thoughts and social withdrawal
Collateral Damage:
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Families suffer in silence due to stigma
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Children face educational disruptions
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Marriages break under financial stress
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Community trust erodes as theft and fraud rise
“We’re seeing more gambling-related anxiety than opioid-related cases now. But families don’t seek help early because there’s no precedent,”
says Dr. Arif Mir, psychiatrist at IMHANS, Srinagar.
Legal Grey Zones & Digital Loopholes
While gambling is banned under the J&K Public Gambling Act, these apps continue to operate freely in Kashmir. Here’s how:
How These Apps Evade Law:
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Offshore Servers: Hosted outside India, placing them beyond local jurisdiction
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Cryptocurrency Payments: Transactions through Bitcoin or USDT allow anonymity
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Constant Rebranding: Apps shut down and reopen under new names every few weeks
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No Age Verification: Even minors can register using fake IDs
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No Financial Caps: Users can bet thousands in minutes without any warning
Crypto as the Silent Enabler
Many users now convert Indian rupees into crypto via unregulated wallets, funding their gambling without a trace. Kashmir’s lack of financial literacy makes this particularly dangerous.
The Moral Alarm: Pulpit to Public Policy
Prominent religious and community leaders have begun sounding the alarm.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq
During a Friday sermon at Jamia Masjid, he urged youth to avoid these apps:
“It is not just haram, it is destructive. Gambling is eroding our homes, our values, and our futures.”
His appeal was one of the strongest public condemnations yet and has inspired similar sermons in local mosques across the Valley.
What Needs to Be Done: Calls for Action
Experts, activists, and families are urging multi-level intervention. Here’s what they suggest:
01. Launch Community-Based Counseling Centers
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Each district should have anonymous mental health support units
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Run by trained therapists and supported by NGOs
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Include family-focused interventions and workshops
02. School-Level Awareness Programs
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Integrate gambling addiction education in life-skills curricula
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Train teachers to spot early behavioral signs
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Host seminars with recovered addicts and mental health professionals
03. Complete Ban on Gambling Apps in J&K
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Pressure ISPs to block access to all identified platforms
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Work with central cybercrime units to trace financial flows
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Strengthen digital oversight for gaming and fantasy platforms
04. Regulatory Framework Tailored to Kashmir
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Build a J&K-specific cyber addiction task force
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Launch a helpline for gambling victims and families
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Mandate banks and payment platforms to flag suspicious transactions
Why Kashmir Is More Vulnerable
Kashmir’s unique socio-political landscape makes it especially susceptible to such silent addictions:
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High unemployment rates among educated youth
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Digital isolation post-internet shutdowns created a surge in unsupervised online activity
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Weak mental health infrastructure
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Taboo around talking about financial loss or addiction
This convergence makes digital gambling the perfect storm—quiet, addictive, and destructive.
Bottom-Line: It’s Not Just a Tech Problem, It’s a Social Epidemic
The rise of online gambling in Kashmir is not a passing trend—it’s a deepening crisis. Families are being uprooted, youth are being trapped, and a mental health emergency is brewing behind closed doors.
This isn’t just about one app or one law. It’s about a society being digitally disarmed, emotionally drained, and economically devastated.
The time for quiet whispers is over. The Valley must speak up—before another home falls, another child disappears, and another life is lost to the spin of a digital roulette.
