<p>More people in Bengaluru are seeking help for gambling than before. Earlier, gambling was often uncovered as one of the underlying issues during counselling. Now, people are openly seeking help to overcome it as they struggle with guilt, helplessness and low self-worth.</p>.<p>Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently flagged the rise in online betting among youth and said the state was considering banning betting apps. A recent report by Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) International also warned of illegal platforms targeting minors and young adults in India, by offering high-stakes play and bypassing age and ID checks.</p>.<p>According to rehabilitation psychologist Nithya J Rao, most cases involve men. “It is always the wife, child, mother or cousin who brings them in,” says the founder of Becoming Shanta, based in Indiranagar and Cox Town. About 95% agree to intervention only at a crisis point, when threatened with divorce and cutting of family ties. The average age of those seeking help has dropped from 45 to 29, she observes.</p>.Bengaluru hospitals gear up for Covid, earmark isolation wards.<p><strong>‘Unable to quit’</strong></p>.<p>Gambling and compulsive behaviour now account for 15% of OPD cases at Cadabams Hospital, J P Nagar, and 8-10% of admissions at its rehabilitation facility near Kaggalipura. Enquiries peak during the IPL cricket season, with seven to 10 calls weekly, mostly from middle- and upper-class families who are aware of treatment options, says Neha Cadabam, senior psychologist and executive director.</p>.<p>She recounts two cases from last month. In one, a man became suicidal after losing about Rs 40 lakh in a day — he had already sold his property and tried selling his kidney. In another, a member of a gambler’s family became suicidal after being harassed by moneylenders.</p>.<p>At SHUT Clinic, a tech deaddiction centre run by Nimhans in BTM Layout, clients often arrive after repeated failed attempts to quit. In late 2024, a man in his 30s sought help after gambling for 12 years. He had been gambling ever since he earned his first paycheck. Early wins had given him the idea that he had real skill in gambling. During the pandemic, he moved to fantasy sports apps and lost Rs 2 crore, four times the money he had made. “He took loans, emptied his savings, and borrowed from his parents,” says Neha John, clinical psychologist. His triggers included exposure to ads, checking his bank balance, and feeling incompetent at the workplace.</p>.<p>Two months ago, her colleague Saradha S attended to a cricket enthusiast in his mid-30s. His addiction had led him to sell property owned by himself and his wife. He even blew up money saved up for their child’s education. She says, “He came for three sessions but is now on a break due to ‘engagements’. We convinced him to hand over his finances to his wife, and switch to a feature phone to limit access to betting platforms.” She says such people are stuck in the vicious loop called ‘chasing losses’, that is, betting more to recoup prior losses.</p>.<p>A few do seek help on their own. Tasneem Nakhoda, psychotherapist at Tattva, Koramangala, was approached by a man towards the end of 2024. Now in his 40s, he had begun gambling as a teen in a bid to support his higher-income family that had fallen on hard times. He remains in therapy and is improving steadily.</p>.<p><strong>Law says…</strong></p>.<p>According to advocate Indra Dhanush, gambling and betting regulations are decided by the states. “In 2021, the Karnataka Police Act of 1963 was amended to ban all forms of gambling, including online gambling. However, the High Court struck down the amendment as unconstitutional,” he shares.</p>.<p><strong>How to help</strong></p>.<p>Experts advise families to spot early signs (mood swings, lying, aggression) and offer support that is caring yet firm. Therapy typically helps clients identify their triggers, find healthy distractions, and process difficult emotions. Recovery can take a few months to two years, but is practically lifelong, given the risk of relapse.</p>
<p>More people in Bengaluru are seeking help for gambling than before. Earlier, gambling was often uncovered as one of the underlying issues during counselling. Now, people are openly seeking help to overcome it as they struggle with guilt, helplessness and low self-worth.</p>.<p>Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently flagged the rise in online betting among youth and said the state was considering banning betting apps. A recent report by Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) International also warned of illegal platforms targeting minors and young adults in India, by offering high-stakes play and bypassing age and ID checks.</p>.<p>According to rehabilitation psychologist Nithya J Rao, most cases involve men. “It is always the wife, child, mother or cousin who brings them in,” says the founder of Becoming Shanta, based in Indiranagar and Cox Town. About 95% agree to intervention only at a crisis point, when threatened with divorce and cutting of family ties. The average age of those seeking help has dropped from 45 to 29, she observes.</p>.Bengaluru hospitals gear up for Covid, earmark isolation wards.<p><strong>‘Unable to quit’</strong></p>.<p>Gambling and compulsive behaviour now account for 15% of OPD cases at Cadabams Hospital, J P Nagar, and 8-10% of admissions at its rehabilitation facility near Kaggalipura. Enquiries peak during the IPL cricket season, with seven to 10 calls weekly, mostly from middle- and upper-class families who are aware of treatment options, says Neha Cadabam, senior psychologist and executive director.</p>.<p>She recounts two cases from last month. In one, a man became suicidal after losing about Rs 40 lakh in a day — he had already sold his property and tried selling his kidney. In another, a member of a gambler’s family became suicidal after being harassed by moneylenders.</p>.<p>At SHUT Clinic, a tech deaddiction centre run by Nimhans in BTM Layout, clients often arrive after repeated failed attempts to quit. In late 2024, a man in his 30s sought help after gambling for 12 years. He had been gambling ever since he earned his first paycheck. Early wins had given him the idea that he had real skill in gambling. During the pandemic, he moved to fantasy sports apps and lost Rs 2 crore, four times the money he had made. “He took loans, emptied his savings, and borrowed from his parents,” says Neha John, clinical psychologist. His triggers included exposure to ads, checking his bank balance, and feeling incompetent at the workplace.</p>.<p>Two months ago, her colleague Saradha S attended to a cricket enthusiast in his mid-30s. His addiction had led him to sell property owned by himself and his wife. He even blew up money saved up for their child’s education. She says, “He came for three sessions but is now on a break due to ‘engagements’. We convinced him to hand over his finances to his wife, and switch to a feature phone to limit access to betting platforms.” She says such people are stuck in the vicious loop called ‘chasing losses’, that is, betting more to recoup prior losses.</p>.<p>A few do seek help on their own. Tasneem Nakhoda, psychotherapist at Tattva, Koramangala, was approached by a man towards the end of 2024. Now in his 40s, he had begun gambling as a teen in a bid to support his higher-income family that had fallen on hard times. He remains in therapy and is improving steadily.</p>.<p><strong>Law says…</strong></p>.<p>According to advocate Indra Dhanush, gambling and betting regulations are decided by the states. “In 2021, the Karnataka Police Act of 1963 was amended to ban all forms of gambling, including online gambling. However, the High Court struck down the amendment as unconstitutional,” he shares.</p>.<p><strong>How to help</strong></p>.<p>Experts advise families to spot early signs (mood swings, lying, aggression) and offer support that is caring yet firm. Therapy typically helps clients identify their triggers, find healthy distractions, and process difficult emotions. Recovery can take a few months to two years, but is practically lifelong, given the risk of relapse.</p>