Smartphone betting is ruining our youth
By: Er Navaid Runyal
Jammu & Kashmir knows the pain of visible disasters—floods that wash away homes, landslides that cut off villages, and violence that leaves scars on generations. But today, another flood is here. It’s not carried by water or other carriers—it flows quietly through our mobile networks, filling our homes with a danger no one talks about.
That danger is smartphone-based betting.
You can’t see it coming. It doesn’t make headlines every day. But it is swallowing dreams, breaking families, and draining pockets from Kupwara to Kathua
The Game that’s not a game
The phone in our hands has become more than a tool—it’s a market, a classroom, a news channel. But for many, it has also become a casino that never closes.
With a few taps, you can place a bet on the next ball of a cricket match, spin a digital roulette wheel, or play online teen-patti with strangers across the world. It’s dressed up like entertainment, but its only real purpose is to take your money—slowly at first, then all at once.
Among the most dangerous trends sweeping through J&K’s betting scene is the rise of the so-called Aviator game and similar “aircraft crash” apps. They look like harmless video games where a plane flies higher and your winnings multiply, but the catch is simple—if you don’t cash out before the plane disappears, you lose everything.
The speed, bright graphics, and adrenaline rush make it dangerously addictive, especially for teenagers who think they’re “just playing a game.” In reality, it’s pure gambling disguised as entertainment, draining pockets in minutes and leaving players chasing losses they’ll never recover.
Why J&K is an easy prey
In our region, the bait is especially tempting.
Unemployment leaves young men restless and searching for income.
Seasonal earnings mean people look for quick profits to survive lean months.
A love for sports—especially cricket—makes match betting feel like harmless fun.
Lack of strong law enforcement allows foreign betting apps to flood our screens freely.
The result? Villages where half the young men know the latest betting odds better than the price of apples in the market.
What makes this danger worse is how quickly it is normalising in our culture. In tea stalls, in college canteens, on buses, young people openly discuss betting odds and “yesterday’s win” as if it were harmless gossip.
What they don’t see is that behind every so-called win are countless quiet losses, sleepless nights, and broken promises. The more we treat smartphone gambling as a casual pastime, the deeper its roots will grow in our society—until it becomes an addiction we can no longer uproot.
The Psychological trap
Betting apps don’t just take your money—they take your mind. They offer a small win in the beginning, enough to make you feel lucky. Then you lose, but instead of stopping, you play again to “get it back.” The cycle repeats until the winnings are gone, the savings are gone, and sometimes even your relationships are gone.
Push notifications lure you back. Bright colors and sound effects make your brain believe you’re close to winning. But the truth is simple: the game is designed for you to lose.
The Damage You Don’t See
In Jammu, a 20-year-old college student secretly sold his phone to pay back a friend he owed after a betting loss.
In Ramban, a shopkeeper watched his business crumble because he kept using the day’s earnings to bet on IPL matches.
In Poonch, a father discovered his teenage son was spending the family’s grocery money on a card game app late at night.
These are not rare stories—they’re the quiet reality spreading through our towns and villages.
Not Just a Personal Problem
Some people argue that betting is a personal choice. But in J&K, the consequences are never personal—they ripple through families and communities.
Every rupee lost to gambling could have been used for education, healthcare, or business. Every hour spent on betting is an hour lost to learning, working, or building a future.
Breaking the Chain
We cannot treat this as “just another habit.” Smartphone betting is engineered addiction. To stop it, we need both personal action and collective will.
Families must talk openly about the risks and watch for early signs in children.
Government must crack down on betting app ads and block their operations in the region.
Schools and colleges must include awareness programs just like drug prevention campaigns.
Payment gateways should refuse transactions linked to gambling sites.
A Warning We Can’t Ignore
Jammu & Kashmir has faced enough losses. We cannot afford to watch quietly as another generation is swallowed by a trap disguised as a game.
(The author is a geotechnical engineer from Marnal Maligam( Pogal Paristan) Ramban)
