Actor Rajkiran rues existence of online gambling

Chennai, Dec.17 (COIN) Actor and director Rajkiran has expressed his displeasure about the existence of online gambling, despite the Tamil Nadu government’s move to enact a law to end it.

In a statement, the well known actor, who is best known for having made the National Award winning film, ‘En Rasavin Manasule’, said that there were several families that had come to the streets because of gambling.

The actor warned that online gambling would give a kind of intoxication to those who touched it and that it could be highly addictive. He also pointed out that those addicted to it could stoop to any level to get the money they required to gamble.

Stating that he had made a film called ‘Ellame En Raasathaan’ to create an awareness on this dreadful problem, the actor said that earlier, gambling was unlawful and those indulging in it were overcome by fear and shame of being arrested by cops.

“However, now, gambling has turned digital and is being called ‘Online Rummy’. It has now reached a stage where everybody, without fear of cops, can play it. Further, in a move that could be detrimental to society, celebrities keep appearing in ads, repeatedly inviting the gullible to play it,” he said.

Pointing out that as many as 37 people had lost their lives in Tamil Nadu alone to online gambling, the actor said their families were now struggling.

“The Tamil Nadu government has enacted a law against online gambling. However, its efforts to end it are being stalled,” he rued.

“Media reports state that the judiciary, which must have suo moto addressed this problem by banning this life-taking game, as asking, ‘Why should this not be treated as a skill-enhancing game?’

“In other instances, the judiciary was found asking those looking to end the menace to prove that this was a game that was based only on luck and that it was being used to cheat people.”

“I do not know where this is going to end,” he said.