Hyderabad: The Telangana government has taken a strong step to tackle the rising problem of online betting and rummy games. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy recently announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to deal with this issue. Following his announcement, State Director General of Police (DGP) Dr. Jitender has officially ordered the formation of the SIT, which will consist of five members.
This team will investigate online betting cases and submit a report to the government. The move comes after several film actors and actresses were found promoting online betting apps, which led to police complaints and investigations.
The main job of the SIT will be to study how online betting operates in the state and suggest ways to control it. DGP Jitender said that the team will look into the effects of betting and gaming apps on people in the state. The SIT will be led by a senior police officer and will include experts in finance, law, auditing, and forensics.
The SIT will conduct detailed and fast investigations into all cases related to online betting that are given to them. It will also examine what legal rules and restrictions are needed to stop the promotion and advertisement of such apps.
In addition, the SIT will review the roles of both central and state government agencies, like the IT and GST departments, in monitoring online gaming. It will recommend strong steps to improve enforcement and suggest changes in financial systems to help detect and block transactions linked to illegal betting.
These suggestions will be sent to the Reserve Bank of India. According to the Telangana Gaming Act of 2017, all forms of online betting are banned in the state. The police said they will find out which apps are still operating despite the ban. Since January, the government has been holding meetings with online gaming companies, asking them to stop operations in Telangana and use geo-fencing to block access to their apps in the state.
DGP Jitender said that the SIT will also figure out which apps are following the rules and which are not. If any app is found to be breaking the law, criminal action will be taken. The investigation will also include issuing advisories and notices, as part of the state’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy on online betting.
Recently, Hyderabad police have filed cases against illegal betting apps and their promoters. These apps have been blamed for luring young people with promises of easy money, which has led to financial and mental stress for many.
Cases have also been registered against film actors, television actresses, and social media influencers for promoting these apps. They are accused of violating the Gaming Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and the IT Act. Some of these celebrities have already appeared before the police as part of the ongoing investigation.
