26 Aug 2025 : YouTuber and fitness influencer Gaurav Taneja, popularly known as Flying Beast, has sounded the alarm over the devastating financial fallout following India’s ban on online real-money gaming apps. In a recent video, he revealed that some individuals are reportedly losing up to ₹1 crore in a single day due to addictive betting platforms that continue to wreak havoc even after enforcement began.
Taneja cited an insider’s account claiming that certain users suffered massive financial losses, and that the internal data disclosed to him suggest the publicized figures from gaming companies are only a fraction of actual damage. “People are losing ₹1 crore a day,” he said, underscoring the scale of the crisis .
Gaurav shared that he receives thousands of emails daily from distressed users who have “sunk all their money” into such apps and now seek urgent help. An insider mentioned, “We would offer counseling to these people, and the first thing we would do is close their account so that they don’t continue putting money in,” but alarmingly, no refunds are offered .
He referenced the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, recently passed by Parliament, banning online money-based games amid concerns of addiction, financial exploitation, and social harm . While apps like Dream11 and MPL are suspending their real-money gaming features in compliance , Taneja warned that the ban won’t eliminate the problem—it might only drive users toward a black market of offshore, unregulated platforms.
Highlighting how unsettlingly easy these apps make gambling, Taneja contrasted them with alcohol and tobacco: unlike these products—which require effort to obtain—betting apps have no friction, constantly coaxing users back with targeted notifications and psychological tactics. He noted that gambling is now classified as a mental health disorder akin to addiction .
Taneja also criticised celebrities and influencers for promoting these platforms, arguing that wealthy individuals seldom use them themselves, and that endorsements have intensified the issue by making it appear glamorous .
The rising financial toll is stark. Official data reveals that approximately 45 crore Indians lose ₹20,000 crore annually to real-money gaming platforms . Meanwhile, the government’s new legislation aims to curb this burning loss and addiction while protecting vulnerable populations.
As regulators tighten the reins and bans kick in, Taneja’s revelations add urgency to the need for a robust support system—especially for those already financially crippled. The bigger question remains: will legal barriers suffice in dealing with a digital menace that targets human psychology in ways few other industries do?
Summary
Flying Beast (Gaurav Taneja) warns that some users are losing up to ₹1 crore daily due to addictive online betting apps. Even after the ban, he cautions against a growing black-market danger