With 32 Suicides In 31 Months Due To Online Gaming, Karnataka Faces Growing Crisis

Time of India

2 days ago

On the surface, it begins with a phone game — just a few clicks on an app promising quick winnings. But online gambling in Karnataka today sits at the crossroads of law, livelihood, and loss.
On one side are stories of ordinary families falling into debt traps so deep that lives are lost to shame and desperation. On another is the state govt, caught between public pressure to regulate and court battles over the limits of prohibition.
Police records show 32 suicides linked to online gambling losses since 2023, nearly two-thirds of them in Bengaluru. Officers admit the number is likely far higher, hidden in missing-person cases and unreported deaths.
Victims come from every walk of life: drivers, small businessmen, students, even salaried workers. Each case has the same cycle — borrowed money, mounting losses, shame, and no way out. While families crumble and psychiatrists warn of rising addiction among the young, who increasingly equate online identity with self-worth, the gaming industry is booming, its revenues set to double. At the heart of the debate is a question: has online gambling quietly grown into a social crisis?
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Countless Lives Shattered
The human toll is reflected in stark stories. In Feb this year, three members of a Mysuru family died within 24 hours.
Joshi Antony recorded a video accusing his sister Sharmila and her husband Jobi of taking a loan of Rs 80 lakh in their widowed sister's name and losing it in online games. Hours after Joshi's suicide, the couple also ended their lives.
In Jan, two men in Bengaluru, Mallikarjun, a lab technician, and Kumaraswamy, an auto driver, killed themselves after losing more than Rs 10 lakh each on rummy apps. Both had taken hand loans.
Unable to face creditors, they gave up.
In Aug 2024, Srinivas, a travel agent from Hassan, jumped with his wife and 11-year-old daughter into Hemavati canal. He had borrowed over Rs 15 lakh, lost it on online rummy, and could not repay. These are part of 32 gambling-linked suicides since 2023, 20 of which are in the state capital.
Govt awaiting panel report
Home minister G Parameshwara told the Legislative Assembly that the state is awaiting the recommendations of a committee headed by IPS officer Pronab Mohanty, expected in Sept, before deciding on regulation.
Karnataka had earlier amended the Police Act in 2021 to ban online games, but the high court struck it down in 2022, calling the move unconstitutional and arbitrary. The state has challenged the order in the Supreme Court.
"Online games are more dangerous than drugs," Parameshwara said, stressing the need to protect the youth. At the same time, IT-BT minister Priyank Kharge flagged the industry's growth potential.
He said India's gaming business, valued at Rs 3.7 lakh-crore, could double to Rs 7.4 lakh-crore within three years, with 590 million gamers and 140 million paid users already active in 2024.
Many cases not reported: Cops
According to ADGP R Hitendra, the pattern is consistent: reckless play, mounting losses, deception at home, followed by overwhelming shame. "They lie to their families, borrow heavily, and when the truth comes out, they cannot face them," he said.
A senior officer said the official count of 32 deaths is "far below reality." Many cases are hidden—either as missing persons or suicides where the gambling link is never established. Students, too, are being drawn in. "Show us one family that has benefited from online gambling. There are none," the officer added.
Mental health impact
Psychiatrist Shashidhar S Bilagi described how online gaming can progress from recreation to compulsion.
"It begins as relaxation, but quickly becomes addictive," he said. Warning signs include irritability, anger when interrupted, poor academics, disrupted sleep cycles, and withdrawal from social life.
Youngsters often justify their behaviour with distorted thoughts such as "worthless offline, important online." The result can be anxiety, depression, conduct disorders and, in some cases, suicidal tendencies.
Bilagi stressed the need for "digital hygiene" — balancing online activity with real-world responsibilities. Nimhans runs a Service for Healthy Use of Technology (SHUT) clinic, and helplines like 14446 are available for those struggling.
Industry Booming
The India Gaming Report-2025 identifies Real Money Gaming (RMG) as the engine of growth, contributing 86% of industry revenue in 2024. Paying gamers grew at 18.5% annually between 2020 and 2024, and are expected to reach 292 million by 2029.
RMG alone is projected to touch $7.3 billion by then.
Of the $2.8 billion invested in Indian gaming firms since 2019, 90% has flowed into RMG. Analysts say the model has adapted swiftly to tax changes and is now entrenched as the backbone of the sector.
WIDENING TRAP
City/District
2023
2024
No. of suicides -2025 (Up to July 31)
Total
Bengaluru
4
9
7
20
Mangaluru
1
0
0
1
Kalaburagi
1
1
0
2
Hassan
0
1
1
2
Dharwad
1
0
1
2
Gadag
0
1
0
1
Davanagere
0
0
1
1
Uttara Kannada
2
0
0
2
Bidar
0
0
1
1
Total
9
12
11
32
Source: Karnataka state police
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