India's online gambling problem spurs calls for regulation

Pandemic-imposed isolation and increasing internet gaming demand cited as causes

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The allure of online gambling during the pandemic has raised alarm bells in India.

NINAD D SHETH, Contributing writer

NEW DELHI -- The coronavirus pandemic has left many in India stuck at home during a series of total and partial lockdowns, and such isolation, combined with some of the world's cheapest internet rates, has made it both tempting and easy to gamble online.

For Arindam Mukharjee, a media professional, playing poker is a daily ritual. Mukharjee, who uses an international online poker site, told Nikkei Asia that he can combine his skill "with calibrated risk to both enjoy some time off and make good money."

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