Unregulated Betting Sites Are Injurious to Society: Nikkhil Arya

MUMBAI: Actor Nikkhil Arya, who is basking in the glory of his Marathi film Gulaabi, is disturbed by the growing addiction to betting sites among people in his close circle and beyond. He believes these sites are particularly damaging, especially for the youth of the country.

He said, “Since I meet and connect with different strata of society courtesy of my profession, I've seen this addiction ruin lives—ranging from house helps to businessmen to CEOs.”

“I have personally witnessed families being devastated because their main breadwinner is addicted to these gambling platforms. An addiction is an addiction, and gambling is one of the oldest ones. This habit is not restricted to the youth alone,” he added.

Nikkhil emphasized that policymakers should take cognizance of the harmful effects such content has on its consumers. He said, “They need to revisit the policies and laws governing these betting sites. For example, while many sites ask for an ID or Aadhaar, I know of minors using fake IDs of adults. A product or activity must align with the society it serves. Critics may argue that betting is prevalent worldwide, but so is drinking beer or alcohol in foreign sports stadiums. If you allow that here, it would lead to chaos. A vast, maturing society like ours, with its diverse population, poverty, and lack of education, can be destroyed in the name of gambling and entertainment.”

Addressing the issue of celebrities endorsing betting sites, Nikkhil commented, “That’s their personal moral decision, and they can’t be blamed since online betting is neither banned nor sufficiently regulated by the authorities. Approved brands are free to market their products using popular brand ambassadors. This applies to products like alcohol, cigarettes, porn, and lotteries as well.”

He further added, “The most important thing is that the government watchdogs need to keep pace with the negative effects of technology.”

When asked how this issue can be mitigated, he said, “At the very least, there should be a stricter verification process to protect minors. Authorities could also include a ‘conditions apply’ disclaimer, like with investment-related products such as insurance and mutual funds. There should even be outright warnings, like the ones on cigarette packets.”