India is currently suffering from an illegal form of gambling called satta matka. The lottery game is becoming increasingly popular beyond the boundaries of the countrys law. <\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the problem is showing no signs of going away and it is only expected to become more of an issue over the coming years. <\/p>\n
Image Credit: pokercontrols.ca <\/p>\n
Unless you have visited India recently or have relations based in the country, its highly likely you will be looking at the start of this article with a puzzled expression. Matka gambling, also known as satta or satta matka is a type of lottery game. <\/p>\n
It initially involved players betting on the opening and closing values of cotton on the New York Cotton Exchange. It can be traced back to a time before Indias independence in 1947 and is believed to have originally been called Ankuda Jugar. <\/p>\n
In the 1960s, the game was altered due to the New York Cotton Exchange clamping down on the betting. After this other ways of generating random numbers were used, such as dealing cards or pulling slips out from a pot called a matka. <\/p>\n
Image Credit: crosswalk.com <\/p>\n
Ever since its introduction to Indian society, matka gambling has increased in its popularity. This has particularly been the case with idlers and compulsive gamblers. <\/p>\n
When the New York Cotton Exchange halted the practice of satta matka gambling in 1961, the government hoped that the recreation would disappear. <\/p>\n
However, it simply evolved. In 1962, Kalyanji Bhagat set up the Worli matka. Just two years later, the rules were modified by Rattan Khatri who invented the New Worli matka. <\/p>\n
These games saw the two men go on to become known as The Matka Kings. <\/p>\n
This established solid foundations for more modern versions of satta matka in India. The activity then hit a peak during the boom period of the 1980s and 1990s. <\/p>\n
Bets exceeding the value of Rs.500 crore each month would be recorded. The Mumbai police attempted to pull off a huge crackdown on matka betting operations but it simply drove the games underground and to the outskirts of the city. <\/p>\n
By 1995, satta matka was in a state of slight decline. This has continued with the number of bookies in Mumbai falling from 2,000 in the mid-90s to just over 300 in the present day. <\/p>\n
In comparison to the heights hit in the 80s and 90s, it is now estimated that just Rs.100 crore are bet on matka games each month. <\/p>\n
Matka gambling isnt just located in Mumbai anymore either, it is now believed to be most popular in the region of Maharashtra. <\/p>\n
Image Credit: indiatvnews.com <\/p>\n
Individuals that have earned a huge sum of money from their involvement in satta matka gambling have become known as Matka Kings. Two individuals stand out as the most revered Matka Kings. <\/p>\n
Kalyanji Bhagat Born into a farming family in the peaceful village of Ratadia in Gujarat, Bhagat was part of a family that had their name given to them by the King Kutch due to their commitment to religion. <\/p>\n
Bhagat became involved in satta matka after migrating to Bombay in 1941. He initially worked a range of jobs including selling spices to working in a grocery store before becoming one of the great matka pioneers. <\/p>\n
He was the first individual to accept bets based on the opening and closing prices of cotton on the New York Cotton Exchange. <\/p>\n
He made his fortune by operating his satta matka gaming business out of his own building in Vinod Mahal, Worli. <\/p>\n
Rattan Khatri As one of the original Matka Kings, Khatri held a firm grasp over a nationwide illegal gambling network in India throughout the 1960s to the 1990s. <\/p>\n
Khatris involvement in matka gambling started in the humble Dhanji Street in Mumbadevi. As interest in his business increased and the bets became larger, the punters wanted more. Khatri delivered this by offering a syndicate for a lottery where three cards were randomly drawn to determine a daily winning number. <\/p>\n
Khatri built a reputation for honesty as he was one of the only operators to carry out the draw in front of the players. <\/p>\n
Khatri was imprisoned during the emergency in India of 1975 to 1977. He served 19 months in jail and has now retired from all forms of gambling. <\/p>\n
Image Credit: livemint.com <\/p>\n
Matka gambling is not without is controversies. In 2008, one Matka King was the victim of an alleged assassination. <\/p>\n
Suresh Bhagat was travelling in his Mahindra Scorpio car with his lawyer and bodyguards. The vehicle was hit by a truck, killing all six people in the car. Police investigations found that Bhagats son, Hitesh, and his mother, Jaya, had been behind the plot to kill Suresh. <\/p>\n
The money earned through running statta matka games was pin pointed as the motive for the murder. <\/p>\n
In 2015, a politician identified as Kiran was caught up in a matka gambling scandal in Goa too. A First Information Report (FIR) petition was launched by social activist Kashinath Shetye after a newspaper article linked the politician, high-profile police, and gambling professionals with the activity. <\/p>\n
It was the first time that political figures had openly been linked with participating in the satta matka games. <\/p>\n
Recent reports now suggest matka gambling is experiencing a period of rejuvenation. <\/p>\n
A recent article in the Navhind Times stated that police are struggling to block websites promoting playing satta matka games for money. Despite claiming to have control over the activity in its land-based form, they are now fighting a battle online. <\/p>\n
The fact that matka gambling has even influenced Bollywood means that its impact on pop culture in India has brought it into the mainstream once again. <\/p>\n
The movie Dharmatma was based on the life of Matka King Rattan Khatri. It seems that satta matka might well be considered illegal in India but that has not stopped millions of players from continuing to bet on it. <\/p>\n
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Matka Gambling\/ Satta - Casino.Org News (blog)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" India is currently suffering from an illegal form of gambling called satta matka. The lottery game is becoming increasingly popular beyond the boundaries of the countrys law. Unfortunately, the problem is showing no signs of going away and it is only expected to become more of an issue over the coming years. Continue reading