Warangal: Changing web addresses a challenge for cops
Warangal: The growing availability of Internet data at ‘cheaper prices’ and also the availability of smartphones have become a boon for online cricket betting mafia in India. Though there is no authentic data available with the police, it is said that thousands of crores of rupees are being punted by the organisers of online cricket […]
Warangal: The growing availability of Internet data at ‘cheaper prices’ and also the availability of smartphones have become a boon for online cricket betting mafia in India. Though there is no authentic data available with the police, it is said that thousands of crores of rupees are being punted by the organisers of online cricket betting. The majority of the cricket betting sites are run by the people residing in metropolitan cities, mainly Mumbai, say the police.
Opening of the websites, developing special applications (Mobile Apps), change of old names and creating new ones in place of the old ones every three or four months are making things difficult for the cops to check the online betting on cricket and three-cards (Teen-Patti) gambling in Telangana as well as other parts of the country.
Tip of iceberg
The arrest of two bookies- Madisetty Prasad of Warangal, and Abhay Vilas Rao of Yavatmal district of Maharastra State- on Monday by the police in Warangal has shed some light on the thriving online betting in India. The police have seized Rs 2.05 crores cash, 43 checkbooks with signatures on each leaf and 15 debit cards of both the private and public sector banks on benami from their possession is only the tip of the iceberg of the illegal betting business which is ruining the lives of many gullible people, particularly youth, who are attracted to the online betting.
Quick buck
“There are many websites in India that are conducting online betting. They are conducting betting on cricket including 20-20-20 matches, IPL and test matches. People/customers can place money even on each ball or over or match or a member of the team (batsman or bowler). If the winning chances are bleak, the punter gets high returns. For example, if a punter puts Rs 2,000 on a team that is unlikely to win the match, he/she gets Rs one lakh in return. If he/she puts the same money on the team which has more chances to win the match, he/she gets low returns,” said Warangal Police Commissioner Dr Tarun Joshi.
20% commision
“As the vigil on these online/offline betting gangs is increasing by the police, they are changing the names of the websites and IP addresses to keep this illegal activity going on. The commission for the bookies is 20 per cent of the income, while the remaining is taken by the organisers. The kingpin of this particular gang busted in Hanamkonda is in Mumbai, and we are trying to expose the network and arrest the kingpin by sending our teams there,” Dr Joshi added.
Luring with double returns
“What the organisers do is that they ensure the victory of the people who place fewer amounts as bet in the Teen-Patti initially to attract more people. They first pay double on their bet amount and thus encourage them to bet more amounts later. To earn profits, they cheat the people by ensuring those who invested higher amounts,” the CP said. “Circulation of more money among the urban people is also leading to this type of crime,” Joshi added. While the website maintained by the accused Abhay Vilas Rao is said to be http://www.nice777.com , there are many websites and apps in India, said the police. One of the arrested Madisetty Prasad is the agent for both Telangana and the Andhra Pradesh States for the website of ‘nice777’, police added.
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