Diwali Was Not Good Luck for Underground Casinos in India

No matter our age, religion or living situations, celebrations have a way of becoming part of daily life.  

Diwali, also known as the festival of light, is an annual celebration that lasts five days and is celebrated during the Hindu Lunisolar month. This is generally between the middle of October and November.  

This year, Diwali was celebrated on the 14th of November 2020, but the festival of lights was overcast with shadows and bad luck.  

 Illegal Gambling Lockdown 

During the time leading up to the celebrations, Indian authorities made it clear they had concerns regarding illegal gambling gatherings.  

According to authorities, it was not new for casino players to come together at underground casinos and take part in gambling activities during the festive celebrations.  

This year the authorities were prepared and had teams in motion looking specifically for illegal gambling activities.  

 Unlucky Prize Pots 

The concerns were not unfounded as reports indicated there were over 100 arrests throughout the festivities. Some feared the idea of arrest so much that they attacked a journalist thinking they might reveal their gambling activity.  

On the 14th of November, the night of Diwali, there were 109 arrests in Kamareddy alone with Rs 6,49,180 ($8,713) confiscated from several card games.  

Of the confiscated funds, a total of Rs 1,06,710 ($1,432) was seized from a single house.  

There were a total of 18 gambling dens raided in Dharwad with 65 arrests made. From these raids about Rs 65 lakh was seized ($65 thousand). These arrests were not limited to ordinary citizens and included a number of political leaders, businessmen, and hoteliers.  

It’s also reported that four police constables were among the guilty who did not receive the warning from the district SP of Dharwad Rural police regarding card clubs being unable to operate during Diwali.  

The Guwahati police were so worried about the rampant and unstoppable gambling sprees during Diwali that they started making arrests before the weekend celebrations started. This was naturally met with a lot of unhappiness.  

 The Journalist Attack 

As mentioned earlier, a journalist was met with aggression due to fear of him revealing gambling activities in the area. This happened nearby Miza where he was tied up to a light post and then beaten for reporting on the illegal games taking place.  

According to sources he was first beaten and threatened to stop reporting on the gambling activities before gathering crowds were allowed to take him to a nearby pharmacy for medical attention.  

 Risk-free Gambling Action Online 

While there are various reasons people choose to gather in crowds and play in person, there are ways to enjoy gambling without the risk of being arrested.  

Online operators reiterated that it is possible to play at online casinos that welcome Indian players. Playing at these online casinos would remove the fear of getting caught, beaten and arrested.  

On the other hand, some operators stated they saw an increase in numbers during the time leading up to the Diwali celebrations. This was due to promotions and games focusing specifically on the festival of lights.  

All in all, Diwali was overcast with shadows of arrests and violence due to illegal gambling operations this year.  There is hope that next year will be a more joyous occasion.