Bengaluru is seeing a marked rise in people seeking help for online gambling addiction, according to a Deccan Herald report published on 4 June 2025. Where gambling was once uncovered as an underlying issue during counselling for other concerns, people are now openly seeking help to overcome it as they struggle with guilt, helplessness and low self-worth.
The report comes at a time when Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has flagged the rise in online betting among young people and said the state was considering a ban on betting apps. A recent report by Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) International has also warned of illegal platforms targeting minors and young adults in India by offering high-stakes play while bypassing age and ID checks.
What Cadabam's Hospitals is seeing
Speaking to Deccan Herald, Neha Cadabam, Senior Psychologist and Executive Director at Cadabam's Hospitals, shared that gambling and compulsive behaviour now account for 15% of OPD cases at Cadabam's Hospital, J P Nagar, and 8–10% of admissions at its rehabilitation facility near Kaggalipura.
Enquiries peak during the IPL cricket season, with seven to ten calls every week, mostly from middle- and upper-class families who are aware that treatment options exist.
She recounted two cases from the previous month that show how severe the fallout can be. In one, a man became suicidal after losing about Rs 40 lakh in a single day; he had already sold his property and had tried to sell his kidney. In another, a member of a gambler's family became suicidal after being harassed by moneylenders.
A citywide pattern
Other Bengaluru clinicians quoted in the report described the same trajectory. A rehabilitation psychologist noted that most cases involve men, that it is almost always a spouse, child, parent or cousin who brings them in, and that around 95% agree to intervention only at a crisis point. The average age of those seeking help has dropped from 45 to 29.
At NIMHANS' SHUT Clinic, a tech de-addiction centre, clinicians described clients who arrive after repeated failed attempts to quit, including a man in his 30s who lost Rs 2 crore on fantasy sports apps after twelve years of gambling. Common triggers included exposure to betting advertisements, checking bank balances, and feelings of incompetence at work. Many are stuck in the loop of "chasing losses", betting more to recover what they have already lost.
How families can help
The experts in the report advise families to watch for early signs such as mood swings, lying and aggression, and to offer support that is caring yet firm. Therapy typically helps clients identify their triggers, find healthy distractions and process difficult emotions. Recovery can take anywhere from a few months to two years, and given the risk of relapse, staying well is a lifelong commitment.
Cadabam's Hospitals offers confidential, integrated care for gambling and other behavioural addictions, from outpatient counselling and psychiatric support to structured addiction rehabilitation in Bangalore and family therapy. If you or someone you love is struggling with gambling, our team is here to help.