A Rajasthan couple allegedly died by suicide due to heavy online gaming debt. The incident comes as the Supreme Court begins hearing a plea to regulate or ban illegal betting apps.
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NEW DELHI: A young couple from Kota, Rajasthan allegedly died by suicide due to financial losses caused by online gaming. This case has brought fresh attention to the legal challenges surrounding unregulated online gaming and betting apps in India.
The man, Deepak Rathore, used to play online games on his mobile. According to reports, he had lost a large amount of money and was under a debt of Rs 4 to 5 lakh. Just one day before he died, he spoke to his elder sister and expressed hopelessness.
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He told her:
“I have no option left except to die.”
His sister advised him not to take any extreme steps and promised to help him financially. Sadly, despite her support, both Deepak and his wife Rajesh Rathore died by hanging themselves in their room. The couple had been married for six years and had a five-year-old daughter, who was present in the house at the time.
Their bodies were discovered after Deepak’s father, Satyanarayan Rathore, knocked on the door but got no response. It was their little daughter who opened the door from inside.
The police have started an investigation and are treating online gaming debt as the likely reason for the suicide. However, they are examining all possible angles. Kota Rural Superintendent of Police Sujeet Shankar stated:
“All aspects of the incident are being probed.”
This tragic case comes at a time when the Supreme Court of India has taken up a public interest litigation (PIL) that seeks to ban illegal betting apps and regulate the online gaming industry in India.
The petition asks for:
- A complete ban on illegal and unauthorized betting apps.
- Strict legal regulations to control online gaming and fantasy sports.
- The formation of a central law to manage online gaming platforms.
The Supreme Court, while hearing the plea last month, issued a notice to the Central Government asking for its official response on the matter. However, the Court has not yet sent notices to individual state governments, choosing to wait for the Centre’s reply first.
This incident adds to growing legal concerns over digital gambling, addiction, and financial exploitation through online platforms. Legal experts and lawmakers have been urging for a clear legal framework to protect vulnerable users from the psychological and financial harm caused by such apps.
Currently, India lacks a uniform law on online gaming. Some states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Karnataka have attempted to introduce bans or restrictions, but many such laws have faced legal challenges in High Courts. The Supreme Court’s involvement now opens the door for national-level legal clarity on this matter.
As the investigation in the Rajasthan case continues, the larger legal system is being called upon to take serious steps to regulate the fast-growing and loosely governed online gaming sector, which is directly impacting lives across the country.
PREVIOUSLY IN APEX COURT
The Supreme Court on May 23 agreed to examine a plea seeking a complete ban on “illegal” betting apps. The petition also sought strict regulations on online gaming and fantasy sports, and the enactment of a comprehensive law.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N.K. Singh issued a notice to the Centre and sought its response, but refrained from issuing notices to the state governments at the present stage.
The petitioner, claiming himself “a prominent social activist, humanitarian, and President of Global Peace Initiative, which is dedicated to promoting peace and justice globally”, said the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the interest of millions of people and to protect the sanity and democracy in India by banning “illegal” betting apps.
The petition referred to an FIR registered in March this year in Telangana against 25 Bollywood celebrities, cricketers and influencers for misleading the public by promoting betting apps.
Further, it referred to a news article regarding the suicide of 24 people from Telangana after they were unable to pay debts incurred due to online betting.
It said that the petition was filed directly before the Supreme Court to safeguard Indian youth and vulnerable citizens from the perils of unregulated online betting and gambling, often disguised as fantasy sports and skill-based gaming.
The petitioner said:
“The plea was filed in the larger public interest to safeguard the youth of India from the unregulated, exploitative, and dangerous online betting industry operating under the garb of fantasy sports and skill-based gaming”.
“That betting, both online and offline, is inherently a game of chance, not a game of skill, and hence falls within the ambit of gambling, which is prohibited in many states under the Public Gambling Act, 1867,”
-said the petition, adding that there is no uniform central legislation to regulate online betting.
Further, the petitioner claimed that he is a globally recognised Peace Ambassador, nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by many countries, including the US, Norway, Sudan and India, for stopping several major wars through his peace efforts and rescuing 310 orphans and street children around the world.
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