BENGALURU : The advent of technology and high-speed internet has given a chance for those looking to discreetly place bets on cricket matches to do it away from the watchful eyes of the police. With crackdowns on conventional betting rackets occurring regularly, the city’s youths have turned to more hi-tech means like encrypted WhatsApp conversations, mobile apps and international betting sites to indulge in their addictions.
The upcoming India Vs Pakistan fixture in the Asia Cup is likely to see several people using social media, websites and gaming apps to quietly place a bet without the police knowing. “During the las Indian Premier League (IPL) social media and online apps were used by bookies and punters. We expect them to do the same with the Asia Cup match as well,” an officer from the CCB said.
Some of the options available cannot be classified as betting, according to experts. The officer pointed out the example of a mobile app which lets users create a fantasy team. The user is then rewarded based on the performance of the team selected. Further, users can participate in paid contests that offer prize money. With the entry fee being as low as `10 and going beyond `5,000 there is something for everyone. The chances of winning depends completely on the selected eleven players and if the team selected by the user matches with the final eleven of the team, there will be a good chance of winning.
Most of these apps and websites point out that their services cannot be construed as betting, which is illegal in India. The rationale is that the fantasy leagues involve skill to win and does not depend on luck alone.
Another reason for many preferring these apps is free starter money of around `100 given to new users who sign on with a referral code. Some even offer `500 to new users and match the amount for the referrer. Technology also has something to offer old-time punters and bookies as well. They use popular UK betting websites to place bets internationally while co-ordination happens over a voiceover internet protocol (VoIP) call so that the police can’t tap into their intelligence networks very easily. Conventional betting has also moved to social media applications like Facebook and WhatsApp.
Racketeers are using the secret group option on Facebook and also leveraging the end-to-end encryption service being provided by WhatsApp to add members into closed groups without coming to the notice of cops.
A punter (who places the bet) on condition of anonymity told CE that betting is mostly done online. “We receive ball by ball updates on WhatsApp and other apps, and place bets accordingly,” he said, adding that it was difficult for police to monitor the activities as there were dozens of such mobile applications and websites. Meanwhile, most of the money transactions happen online and hence the police also find it extremely tough to crack these cases. Speaking to CE, a senior police officer from CCB said that they have tightened their surveillance on all betting related rackets. “We will also look into various forms of online gaming and the legalities involved in it.”