Bengaluru: Tension prevailed in Bengaluru after members of ‘Namma Karnataka Sena’ stormed into the Golden Aces Poker Room, alleging that the establishment was promoting illegal online betting and gambling activities. The incident led to vandalism of furniture and property inside the gaming facility.
According to police sources, ten activists, including Raghu Padukone, Suresh Naik, Hanumanthu, Dinesh, Anand, Manjunath, and Naveen, have been arrested in connection with the incident. The arrests were made based on a complaint filed by the management of the online gaming company.
The protesters alleged that the poker room was misleading youth through illegal online betting schemes, offering fake promises of “₹8–10 lakh in winnings.” They claimed that such platforms were “corrupting students and exploiting citizens” by promoting gambling under the guise of online skill games.
Speaking to reporters, Namma Karnataka Sena president Basavaraj accused the police of being biased:
“When we file complaints, the police only register NCRs and ignore them. But when the gaming company files a complaint, our activists are immediately arrested. The police should also arrest those running these illegal betting businesses,” he said.
Basavaraj further alleged that the company lured youth with advertisements claiming “earn ₹8–10 lakh quickly” and urged authorities to take strict legal action to ban such online betting platforms across Karnataka.
Meanwhile, police have assured a detailed investigation into both the vandalism and the betting allegations. Officials stated that the situation is under control and that further arrests may be made if required.
Bengaluru news, Golden Aces Poker Room raid, Namma Karnataka Sena protest, online betting case, illegal gaming crackdown, youth exploitation, Karnataka police action, Basavaraj statement, online gambling controversy, crime in Bengaluru
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