As a senior IPS officer, VC Sajjanar has emerged as a pivotal force in combating the online betting epidemic. Instrumental in Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s decision to form an SIT to crack down on online gambling, the TGSRTC MD, in an exclusive interview with TNIE’s Chithaluri Revanth, tells influencers and celebrities complicit in the crisis: “You’re not advertisers; you’re cyber terrorists.”
Excerpts:
What prompted you to launch the #SayNoToBettingApps campaign, and what are your objectives?
I was profoundly disturbed by the devastating loss of lives in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and beyond due to predatory betting applications. Through my research, I discovered how these apps have fuelled one of the most dangerous addictions among youth, especially in rural communities. Unlike multi-level marketing (MLM) schemes that typically target adults, these apps exploit teenagers. The objective is to create awareness about such apps and save families from falling prey to them. We have been leveraging social media — ironically, the very platform these betting apps misuse for promotion — to spread awareness. It’s alarming to see influencers endorsing such harmful platforms, but the public response to our campaign has been encouraging. In the past 10 days, we have reached over 100 million digital footprints. While there’s still much work to be done, it’s a small relief knowing our message is resonating with the public.
Following your campaign, cases have been registered across the Telugu states. Can you elaborate on the legal consequences?
The crackdown began with the first case registered in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Authorities launched a thorough investigation and have been interrogating those involved. What is most shocking is how many influencers and middlemen, lured by easy money, blindly promote these apps without realising the severe legal consequences. That said, the battle isn’t won yet. These betting networks often operate from overseas, complicating enforcement. But with sustained public awareness and continued police action, we are determined to see more perpetrators held accountable.
Some celebrities and influencers are promoting betting apps. From the police’s perspective, what is your warning to them?
Many of those promoting these predatory apps are actors and social media influencers who surfaced repeatedly during my research. Let me be clear: influencers who push these apps are nothing short of cyber terrorists. Their reckless endorsements have life-destroying consequences. The growing public backlash against these promoters is encouraging. We are now seeing citizens file complaints and police register cases — a key step in creating real deterrence. This is how change begins: through collective responsibility and refusal to tolerate such harmful practices.
To the celebrities and influencers still promoting these apps, take note: You are not just advertising a product; you’re enabling a system that devastates families and drives people to ruin. Your influence comes with responsibility. Every post you make endorsing these platforms contributes to real harm and suffering. This isn’t just unethical; it’s criminal behaviour with serious legal consequences. The law is finally catching up. Cases are being filed, investigations are underway, and accountability is coming. But true change requires more, it demands that all of us reject this normalisation of exploitation.
How can we change the mindset of those who fall prey in pursuit of easy money?
Changing the mindset of those chasing easy money through betting requires sustained effort on multiple fronts. While enforcement is critical, prevention through awareness is equally vital.
We must educate young people about the harsh reality that these apps are designed to make them lose, not win. Parents need to actively monitor their children’s online activities, especially since most social media users targeted are between 16 and 30 years old. Warning signs like sudden mood changes or frequent requests for money should prompt immediate conversations. Social media platforms and influencers must also take responsibility. Too many celebrities promote these apps without disclosing the risks, exploiting their followers’ trust. We’re working to hold such promoters accountable legally, but society must also reject this normalisation of gambling. Ultimately, there’s no shortcut to wealth. These apps only create debt and despair. Through continued enforcement, education, and community vigilance, we can protect our citizens from this digital epidemic.
An influencer recently said, “If I don’t promote [betting apps] and earn money, someone else will and mint money.” How do you respond to this?
That excuse is the moral equivalent of saying ‘If I don’t sell poisoned milk, someone else will’. It’s not just shameful; it’s criminal thinking. When you knowingly push destructive apps for profit, you’re not an influencer — you’re an accomplice to financial violence. A cyber terrorist. Every rupee you ‘mint’ comes from someone’s life savings, a student’s education fund or a family’s last hope. The fact that you see no problem with this reveals your complete ethical collapse. Let’s be clear: Your attitude is why police cases exist, why regulators are stepping in and why society now views such ‘promoters’ as digital predators rather than celebrities.
The law doesn’t care if you have regrets. It only cares that victims have justice.
How do we end the online betting menace in society?
To end this, we need a war on three fronts: enforcement, education and eradication. Firstly, law enforcement must come down hard with iron-fisted crackdowns — freezing accounts, arresting promoters and blocking these illegal platforms. Police have shown how it is done, but we need nationwide coordination with cyber cells and international agencies since many operators hide overseas.
Secondly, we must kill the demand through brutal awareness. Show the raw truth: broken families, suicides and financial ruin. Run mandatory programmes in colleges, warning youth that these apps are mathematically designed to bankrupt them. Name and shame every celebrity promoter. Thirdly, we need tech companies to take responsibility. Social media platforms must be fined for allowing betting ads. Payment gateways facilitating transactions should lose their licences. Banks must track and block suspicious gambling transactions in real time.
This isn’t just crime; it’s economic terrorism preying on our youth. Either we destroy this menace now, or lose an entire generation to this addiction. The time for soft measures is over — we need surgical strikes on this ecosystem before more lives are destroyed.
How can we raise awareness about the negative impact of such apps on youth?
The rise of online betting apps has unleashed nothing short of a social catastrophe for our youth. These digital traps are engineered to exploit young minds, luring them with illusions of quick money while systematically destroying their finances, mental health and prospects. Across colleges and workplaces, we are seeing bright young lives derailed by this epidemic — students dropping out after losing tuition money, professionals driven to despair over mounting debts and tragic cases of suicide when the losses become unbearable.
What makes this crisis particularly sinister is how these apps weaponise psychology against their victims. They use the same techniques as casinos, combined with social media’s viral reach and celebrity endorsements to appear legitimate. The “first win free” hook, flashy interfaces and 24/7 accessibility create a perfect storm of addiction. Before users realise it, they are trapped in a downward spiral where trying to overcome losses only leads to greater ruin. Breaking this cycle demands nothing less than a societal movement. Law enforcement, both state and central, must continue their crackdown, but real change begins with ripping away the veil of glamour around these apps. Parents and educators must have conversations about the mathematical certainty of losing, while tech platforms must take responsibility for allowing this predatory ecosystem to thrive on their services.