With the number of suicides linked to online gambling on the rise in Tamil Nadu, PMK founder Dr. S. Ramadoss has urged the government to enact a new law to ban the practice.In a strongly worded statement, the senior leader highlighted the tragic case of Mahendran, a milk trader from Dindigul district, who took his own life after losing a significant amount of money through online gambling.
According to reports, Mahendran had been struggling with financial difficulties after losing over ₹2 lakh to online gambling platforms. Unable to cope with the losses, he left his home a month ago. His family and friends searched for him, but he was later found dead, adding to the growing list of victims of online gambling addiction.
Expressing deep concern over the incident, Ramadoss stated, “This is not an isolated case. Many people, especially youngsters and daily wage workers, are falling prey to online gambling, losing their hard-earned money and, in extreme cases, their lives. The government must take immediate action to prevent further tragedies.”
Ramadoss emphasized that the government should not delay in passing a strong law to ban online gambling entirely. “Though previous attempts were made to curb online gambling, the absence of a stringent legal framework allows such platforms to operate freely, trapping people into a vicious cycle of addiction and financial ruin,” he said.
Tamil Nadu had earlier passed a law banning online gambling, but it was struck down by the courts, citing a lack of proper justification. However, with suicides continuing to rise, there is growing public pressure for fresh legislation that can withstand legal scrutiny.
Several suicides across Tamil Nadu have been attributed to online gambling losses in recent months. Families of victims have been pleading for government intervention, highlighting the devastating impact of gambling addiction.
Social activists and political leaders have also been vocal about the issue, urging stricter regulations and enforcement measures to protect vulnerable individuals from falling into financial distress.
While the Tamil Nadu government has previously expressed its commitment to addressing the issue, Ramadoss’ statement adds urgency to the demand for immediate action. He insisted that the authorities should not wait for more tragic incidents before taking decisive steps.
“The government must move quickly to draft and pass a foolproof Bill that can effectively ban online gambling, ensuring it cannot be challenged in court. Until then, innocent lives will continue to be lost,” Ramadoss warned.
With growing political and public pressure, all eyes are now on the state government to see if it will introduce new legislation to tackle the crisis before more lives are lost to online gambling addiction.