 "Top electoral bond donor: All about Future Gaming & India's 'Lottery King'")
The Election Commission on Thursday released data on electoral bonds the State Bank of India (SBI) had shared with it on March 12. The data shows organisations and individuals that have purchased bonds. Future Gaming and Hotel Services is the top donor, giving around Rs 1,368 crore to political parties between April 12, 2019 and January 24, 2024. Santiago Martin, the company’s 59-year-old owner and a so-called 'Lottery King', is a controversial man with ties to political parties.
Here is everything you need to know about Future Gaming and Hotel Services and its owner.
Future Gaming and Hotel Services
Coimbatore-based Future Gaming and Hotel Services, formerly known as Martin Lottery Agencies Limited, has been in operation since 1991 and it is a significant player in the country's lottery industry.
Future Gaming facilitated live telecast of lottery draws on television, marking a milestone in India's lottery business. The company is a member of Asia Pacific Lottery Association (APLA) and the World Lottery Association (WLA), with accreditation for its commitment to responsible gaming practices.
Who is Santiago Martin?
Martin Foundation, a charitable trust founded by Martin, states was a labourer in Yangon, Myanmar. In his profile, Martin claims to have started his career in the lottery industry at the age of 13.
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Martin rose to prominence in 1988 with the establishment of Martin Lottery Agencies Ltd in Coimbatore. Martin expanded his lottery empire across states, including Karnataka, Kerala, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Maharashtra.
He contributed Rs 2 crore to Deshabhimani, the mouthpiece of Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala, in 2008. The money was eventually returned as Martin's contribution was viewed as a source of embarrassment for the party, according to a report in the Indian Express (IE).
Martin's fortunes fluctuated with changes in political dynamics in Tamil Nadu. His close ties with the DMK were beneficial, but Martin began facing legal woes when the AIADMK came to power, said the IE report.
Arrested under land grabbing charges and the Goondas Act, Martin was incarcerated before being released on bail following the intervention of the Madras High Court.
His wife, Leema Rose, assumed a prominent role in both business and politics. Leema Rose was elected to the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly as a Communist Party of India candidate in 2006, representing the Thiruvattar constituency in Kanyakumari district.
Despite the setbacks, Martin diversified his business interests beyond the lottery sector, venturing into education, media, and real estate.
Future Gaming: Legal challenges and ED raids
In 2022, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) attached assets worth over Rs 409 crore in connection with a money laundering case involving Future Gaming. Allegations included the illegal diversion of lottery proceeds and the improperly claiming incentives amounting to around Rs 400 crore between 2014 and 2017, according to a report by Mint.
More recently, on March 9, 2024, the ED conducted searches at the premises of Aadhav Arjun, son-in-law of Martin, as part of a money laundering investigation linked to sand mining in Tamil Nadu.
Martin himself has faced scrutiny in another money laundering case, stemming from a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into alleged lottery-related offences in Sikkim.
Despite these legal challenges, Future Gaming remains a significant player in the Indian lottery industry.