Bengaluru: A software engineer lost Rs 3 crore in online gambling and sought police action against the poker company, alleging it cheated him.
Gourav (name changed), who works in a software company, said in his complaint to police on Dec 5 that he invested in the online poker portal called ‘Pocket52‘ operated by ‘Nirdesa Networks Private Limited’. The Shanthinagar resident said the entity engaged in “blatant fraudulent activities” that caused him a substantial financial loss.
The complainant accused GamesKraft, its CEO, the leadership team of Pocket52 and others of cheating him. According to him, GamesKraft is a partner in Pocket52.
With his Pocket52 account ID created on April 26, 2023, Gourav was actively involved in poker games till Dec 3 this year.
Initially, he invested small amounts like Rs 100 on different tables and kept winning. Later, he began playing for higher amounts like Rs 1 lakh and its multiples but consistently lost the money.
Gourav said he realised in Dec 2023 that there was fraud on the platform, following multiple user complaints. He claimed Pocket52 admitted that fraud was indeed happening on its platform and started refunding players small amounts. However, it failed to disclose the full extent of the fraud, its nature, or whether it was carried out by players or bots, strongly suggesting that Nirdesa Networks was complicit in the activities.
When Gaurav raised these concerns, he allegedly received dismissive replies from Pocket52 customer support, who suggested that he play at smaller tables to increase his chances of winning.
He observed collusion where “regular players worked together” to ensure wins in larger pots. He experienced numerous glitches, including an incident where two clubs of nines appeared on the table simultaneously. Such occurrences indicated either a faulty random number generator (RNG) or deliberate manipulation of game outcomes, he stated in the complaint.
Pocket52 dismissed these incidents as mere ‘glitches’ and failed to provide a satisfactory explanation. Pocket52 allegedly removed the “hand history” feature from its platform, preventing users from reviewing previous games and raising doubts about fairness. When he sought data on his gaming stats, his request was declined, he added.
He has sought legal action against the CEOs of Pocket52 and GamesKraft.
Gourav alleged that the platform deposited free money into dormant accounts to lure users back into playing. Such tactics exploit players’ vulnerabilities, ensure gambling becomes addictive and violate ethical standards, he said.
Gourav told TOI that borrowed money from banks and friends.
A senior police officer said they registered the case against the CEOs of Pocket52 and GamesKraft, and others under the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 318 (cheating) and are investigating.
When TOI contacted the helpline of Pocket52 for a reaction, the call centre employee refused to share the legal head’s contact number.
Student ends life after Rs 80L online gambling debt
A student addicted to online gambling allegedly died by suicide in Kalaburagi Thursday, after being unable to repay the hefty loans he had taken for it. Somanath Chidri, 23, from Donagapur village in Bhalki taluk, Bidar district, was studying in BSc final year in a Kalaburagi college. He reportedly became addicted to online gambling and lost more than Rs 80 lakh. He borrowed some of the money at interest rates of 4-10%. Fed up with the harassment from the lenders, he allegedly ended his life near Veerashaiva Hostel, said police sources. Kalaburagi city police commissioner Sharanappa SD revealed that Somnath’s parents reported a loss of Rs 70-80 lakh due to his online gambling. A formal complaint was lodged, and an investigation is in progress.
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Software Engineer Loses Rs 3 Crore to Online Poker Scam, Files FIR Against Company | Bengaluru News – Times of India
