Maharashtra Poised to Become India’s ‘Online Gambling Hub’? Concerns Rise Amidst Gaming Industry Push

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Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has declared its intention to transform the state into the “Gaming Capital” of India. While Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recently promoted the move as a boost for the entertainment sector and creative talent—backed by training programs under the Skill Development Department—critics warn that this may be a slippery slope into legitimising online gambling.

Currently, a major case is underway in the Supreme Court, where international online gaming and betting companies are challenging the Indian government’s ₹1.2 lakh crore Goods and Services Tax (GST) demand. The companies are seeking a drastic reduction to just ₹8,000–₹10,000 crore, rallying global lobbying power behind them.

Raising a red flag over this trend, Comrade Rajan Kshirsagar questioned the moral and economic consequences of such developments. “Don’t be surprised if tomorrow US President Donald Trump demands that Indian gambling be headquartered in Pune instead of Las Vegas,” he remarked sharply. “After all, Modi ji has business in his blood.”

At present, only Tamil Nadu has enacted a regulatory law to restrict and monitor online gambling—the Online Gambling Prohibition and Regulation Act. No such law exists in Maharashtra or most other states. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has been praised by Kshirsagar and others for standing firm against this growing menace.

Drawing a parallel to the epic Mahabharata, Kshirsagar noted, “Devendra Fadnavis seems determined to uphold the ancient tradition of gambling for power, and he might just be playing the role of Shakuni.”

With numerous families already devastated by online betting losses, critics fear these platforms could infiltrate middle-class households unless stringent laws are implemented.

“We are proudly walking into the Dwapar Yug,” Kshirsagar concluded sarcastically, warning that what is being presented as digital progress might actually mark a dangerous moral regression.

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