Srinagar, Nov 1: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today expressed deep concern over the growing trend of online gambling and urged the Government to impose ban on online gambling apps.

Addressing the faithful at historic Jamia Masjid in Downtown during Friday sermon, growing trend of online gambling, disguised as various sports including cricket, and football have taken hold of the youth.

“It’s tragic enough to be grappling with the crisis of drug addiction, and now another menace has taken root in our society. Hundreds of young people, driven by the allure of making quick money, have fallen victim to these gambling apps, forcing many  families to sell their homes and assets to cover the massive debts incurred by their addicted members mostly young men,” he said.

Mirwaiz cited distressing examples of some youth who have lost lakhs of rupees, casting heavy financial burdens on their families and destroying them emotionally. “In Islam, gambling in every form is strictly prohibited as it breeds greed and avarice and ruins lives, razing our spiritual and moral foundation,” Mirwaiz said.

Reminding the congregation, he emphasised that the social cost of addiction of every kind leads to the fast erosion of the social fabric of society and ultimately its end.

“There is high rate of youth unemployment, 40 percent in our state, also adds to the problem, pushing many to risky short cuts like online gambling out of compulsion. Our young people need meaningful opportunities, not harmful distractions that eventually drain their finances and ruin their futures,” he said.

Mirwaiz urged the government to take decisive action, noting that many states in India like Telangana, Assam, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, and Nagaland have already banned these gambling apps. “We call on the Jammu and Kashmir government to follow and immediately impose a ban on these apps to protect our youth and society from further harm,” he added.

Mirwaiz said that while the community’s ulema and imams will keep addressing critical issues across masjids, “it is the parents who need to be invested and stay vigilant.”

“We also need to be mindful of our technological habits, as hours lost to social media and screen addiction are hours taken from productive, meaningful lives. I call upon all community members to recognise these dangers and work collectively to safeguard our society and the future of our youth,” Mirwaiz added.