The police have initiated strict enforcement measures against the illegal single-digit lottery operations in Kozhikode district, Kerala, by deploying specialized teams for surprise inspections. This action follows confidential reports from the State Lottery Department and licensed lottery agents, who have raised concerns over the increasing prevalence of unregulated lottery activities in the area.
One inspection squad, led by Thamarassery Deputy Superintendent of Police Chandramohan, uncovered two shops in Ambayathode. During this operation, the team seized ₹23,020 from the shops suspected of engaging in illegal lottery business.
Additionally, the squad recovered several mobile phones believed to have been used for coordinating transactions. These devices will undergo forensic analysis to gather further evidence, according to officials.
As reported by police sources, recent inspections targeted four different shops simultaneously. This crackdown was initiated based on a confidential tip-off from local authorities, focusing on locations purportedly operating outside the regulations governing legal lottery sales.
Officials from the Lottery Department previously expressed alarm over the detrimental impact of illegal operations on revenues from legal lottery sales, which adhere to strict regulations. They cautioned that unregulated lottery systems expose the public to fraud and lack recourse in the event of disputes.
“The single-digit lottery trade is a form of gambling where participants wager on a single digit number, usually from 0 to 9, hoping to win a substantial cash reward if their number is drawn,” stated a Lottery Department official. He noted that these transactions often evade taxes and legal oversight, predominantly through informal networks, including local agents and digital platforms.
A senior officer from Thamarassery involved in the recent raids emphasized that the crackdown will continue in the upcoming weeks, with additional squads to conduct field inspections in suspected areas. This initiative aims to dismantle the covert network and ensure that only government-authorized lottery systems operate within the district. Lottery traders have been urged to report any suspicious activities in their vicinity, as these illegal operations often result in financial exploitation of low-income families.
