Minority Reporter Group

I work in a bank in Lucknow, and over the past year I have seen colleagues - seemingly very conservative and "correct" people - discussing among themselves not politics, but who won how much on Dream11 or which rounds are better to play in Ludo Supreme. And no one whispers anymore, it has become a part of water cooler conversations. I think you are right - this is not one reason, but several at once. According to https://www.lyricsgoo.com/lakhs-on-luck-why-middle-class-indians-are-money-games-more-than-ever/, the pandemic played a role. During the lockdowns, people began to spend more time online, many discovered gaming platforms. And when you are sitting at home and feel like nothing is happening for you, even a small win of 150 rupees makes you feel like you are in control of the situation. This is a psychological moment. Secondly, now almost all platforms have a localized interface - Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, etc. This greatly reduces the entry barrier. My aunt, who is 56, downloaded an app for card games, and now sometimes plays for real money. Previously, it would not have occurred to her that she was "techie enough" to do this. Advertising, of course, plays a role - look who they take as ambassadors now: Kartik Aryan, MS Dhoni, Rashmika Mandanna. These people inspire confidence in the middle class, which means that the product itself begins to be perceived not as "gambling", but as "entertainment with a chance of a bonus". Especially when you are promised a 50% refund of your losses or a bonus on your first deposit. Psychologically, this removes fear.