Gambling gets social sanction
Isha Singh Sawhney
Diwali, the festival of lights, is as much about diyas, mithais and
bonhomie as gambling. Across North India, even those who do not gamble
as a habit try their luck with the cards on this night.
But over the years, not only have the stakes increased but even 17,
18-year-olds are now gambling with huge sums of money on a night when
for once this sport is rid of its social stigma (as it is considered
a harbinger of prosperity on Diwali).
High stakes:
The young, whether they believe in a whole lot of other customs
or not, do pay obeisance to this one by dutifully putting money
at stake.
But what is noteworthy is that the amount being put at stake by
both school and college students is mind-boggling. Amit Mehra, 23,
an advertising professional, says stakes have increased phenomenally
over the last few years.
“People laugh at you today if you play at the stakes of Rs
20-30. Earlier, we would start at these amounts and go up to Rs
100, 200 or maximum Rs 300, but today people start at , Rs 500,”
he says. The result? Loses to the tune of Rs 6-8 lakh.
Value for money:
Chivalry also comes into play at such sessions. If there are
women on the table, opening stakes do not usually go above Rs 500.
Besides, there are also games with infinite stakes which have no
limit of what is being bet. Jaspreet Singh, an 18-year-old management
student and Diwali gambler, has a crazy account book. After a month
of intense playing last Diwali, he lost a whopping Rs 8.5 lakh of
his father’s money though he won back around Rs 5.5 lakh. “This
year, I’m just down Rs 40,000 as I’m more careful with
the stakes,” he says.
Introspection:
Even inveterate Diwali gamblers feel that the entire thing smacks
of total disregard for the money’s worth. “To lose and
win a couple of lakhs with such nonchalance shows how the custom
has turned into a money-making deal,” says another gambler
Santy Singh. Manav Kapoor, a management student who bets with smaller
stakes, says, “It is a shame to put lakhs at stake.” But
for those who do that, he has a word of advice: “When you have
such high stakes you have to keep absolutely calm, even when losing
money.” Whether you subscribe to the gambling custom or not,
a lot of money is definitely going to change hands this Diwali night,
too, amongst the young. Some celebration this is...
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