Gambling den using PlayStations unearthed in Laxmi Nagar

New Delhi: Video game consoles, such as PlayStations, are now being used for online gambling, with punters having developed a new modus operandi and new medium for this illicit activity.

The revelation came to light after Delhi Police, on Saturday, busted an illegal gaming house and casino operating in a shop in east Delhi's Laxmi Nagar.

Police said that the arrested accused were identified as Amit Kashyap, Rohit Sharma, Sunny Chhabra, Sachin Kumar, Rishi Kesh and Pankaj Mishra.

According to police, Fun Point, located in shop number 3 in Krishan Kunj, Laxmi Nagar area, looks like a cyber cafe from the outside.

However, the shop contained were PlayStations and desktop computers, all of which were being used for online gambling.

"Betting racket software was installed in the PlayStation, which was connected with the computer, through which the gambling racket was running," said a senior police officer.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Pankaj Singh on Sunday said that the raiding team found 15 PlayStations and desktops, which were in use for playing an online bidding game. The organisers were luring customers to bid a minimum of Rs 1,000 on an online number.

"If the bidders got their number online, the lucky ones were promised Rs 36,000. The organiser has been arrested in the past as well for organising and running a similar gaming house," said the DCP.

Recently, Shahdara District Police had busted a betting racket, in which betting was done through betting assistant software.

Delhi Police data, accessed by the Millennium Post. states that in 2016, around 1,098 cases related to illegal gambling and betting were registered, while last year, 1,273 cases were registered.

This year, till March 31, the Capital witnessed more than 300 cases of gambling.

The number of arrests, meanwhile, has increased with time. In 2016, as many as 3,872 persons were nabbed, while in 2017, 5,398 accused were nabbed.

More than 1,000 persons have been arrested for gambling so far this year.