Daijiworld Media Network - Belagavi

Belagavi, Dec 9: Citizens in Karnataka have lost a staggering Rs 5,474 crore to cyber frauds, including online betting, over the past three years, with the police managing to recover only Rs 627 crore, home minister (HM) Dr G Parameshwara informed the Assembly on Tuesday.

Replying to a question from Sakleshpura BJP MLA Cement Manju about the vulnerability of persons aged 16–35 to online betting games, Parameshwara said that between 2023 and 2025 (up to November 15), Karnataka recorded 57,733 cases of cyber fraud, of which 10,717 have been solved.

“In 2023, there were 22,255 cases, with losses amounting to Rs 873 crore, of which we recovered Rs 177 crore. In 2024, 22,478 cases were reported, resulting in Rs 2,562 crore lost and Rs 323 crore recovered. In 2025, 13,000 cases have been registered so far, with Rs 2,038 crore lost and Rs 127 crore recovered,” he said.

Highlighting a concerning trend, the minister said, “While the number of cases has decreased—from 22,000 to 13,000—the amount of money lost remains significant at Rs 2,038 crore.”

Parameshwara pointed out that Karnataka was the first state in India to establish a dedicated cyber vertical headed by a director-general of police. “We have 43 cyber police stations with a cyber command. This is helping, as seen from the fall in case numbers,” he added.

The minister also touched upon the legal backdrop of online gaming. In 2021, the previous BJP government amended the Karnataka Police Act to prohibit online games. However, the High Court struck down this provision in 2022 following a petition by the All India Gaming Federation. The state government has now challenged this decision in the Supreme Court, with the case listed for hearing on December 19.

“The Centre also introduced a law against online gaming, which was challenged by the gaming federation,” Parameshwara said, expressing concerns about youngsters increasingly falling prey to online betting.