BS READS: Vague gambling law lets offshore betting sites prey on Indians

Gambling is illegal in most parts of India, but British-era laws cover only land-based activities. Internet, with no boundaries, remains a legal grey area for bookmakers and bettors to thrive in

While reading the news online, Ananth Kumar (name changed) chanced upon an article that redirected him to a gambling website — Leo Vegas. After checking if it looked legitimate, he deposited Rs 10,000, created his account on an online casino, and patiently waited for the promised Rs 30,000 to try his luck. Nothing happened.

Kumar then contacted the support team at Leo Vegas, which asked him to verify his bank account details by uploading a few documents. He did. But his claim was rejected because of “blurred pictures”.

This is not your vanilla ‘prince from Nigeria’ duping case. Kumar made the transaction