“It is said that as long as there are gullible, there will be cheaters. I wish to alert everyone that every day thousands of people are losing crores of rupees in 'online' gambling and some of them commit suicide. Varathan, a bank officer from Chennai, was working as an employee in an international bank. Annual Rs. 25 lakhs as his salary. Suddenly one day he started playing 'online' 'rummy' and lost one crore rupees he had saved in a few months.

In a frenzy to recover his lost savings, he borrowed lakhs from friends and relatives and played 'rummy' online and lost it too. Due to the crisis caused by the family dispute, Varathan killed his wife by hitting her with a cricket bat. He also strangled his 2 children and committed suicide by hanging himself.

Similarly, a policeman who lost around Rs 7 lakh by playing 'online Rummy' became a debtor and attempted suicide by shooting himself with a gun in his hand. A few days ago, an employee of a private company living in Chennai committed suicide by hanging himself at home after losing Rs. 35 lakhs in an 'online' gambling.

It is a painful fact that tens of thousands of students, youth, private and government officials are addicted to online gambling games like 'Rummy', 'Rummy Culture' and 'Poker'. There are increasing cases of taking loans from acquaintances and 'credit cards', losing the entire amount and eventually committing suicide.

'Online' gambling companies are good at scamming. They spread attractive advertisements on television, websites and through text messages (SMS) about making easy money. Dream heroes of the youth like cricketers, film actors – actresses etc. are cast as advertisement ambassadors and create a goodwill in these gamblings. 'I have won Rs.50 lakh. They are spreading false testimonies with photos like 'You too come to play and win'.

The basic 'logic' of 'online' gambling games is to entice the users to win money in the beginning, and then make them a total loser. In this, users believe that the person playing with them is some faceless person. These innocents don't understand that it is actually an invincible 'computer program' playing with them.

Celebrities have been criticized for not acting as advertising ambassadors for these ruthless gambling establishments. The central and state governments are considering imposing a permanent ban on internet companies including 'Rummy', 'Rummy Culture' and 'Poker'. Understand that all 'online' gambling games advertised as 'use your brain and win more money' are scams. You are not playing with the individual, but with 'computer programs' designed by a thousand human brains.

In the beginning, the programming logic of these 'online gambling apps' is to make them addicts by winning some money, and then by making them play with more money and become a total loser. Realize that individuals like you can never win by playing with 'computer programs' designed for such systematic fraud and stand aside. Ignore 'online' gambling and its promoters altogether.

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• Note: The names appearing in the incidents described in the series have been changed.