Published Oct 28, 2026 | 3:26 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 28, 2026 | 3:26 PM
Chief Minister VD Satheesan.
Synopsis: AI-generated counterfeit Kerala lottery tickets are being sold through social media, with fraudsters sometimes selling the same ticket to multiple buyers and disappearing when substantial prizes are claimed, Chief Minister V D Satheesan told the Assembly. The racket, he said, is particularly prevalent in districts such as Palakkad and cheats buyers, deprives the State of revenue and threatens the livelihoods of genuine lottery sellers and workers.
AI-generated counterfeit Kerala lottery tickets, sold through social media and circulated among multiple buyers, are fuelling a fraud racket that cheats the public, deprives the State government of revenue and threatens the livelihoods of genuine lottery sellers and workers, Chief Minister V D Satheesan told the Assembly.
Responding to a submission in the Assembly, Satheesan said the government would take stringent action against those involved in the racket, which is particularly prevalent in districts such as Palakkad, where powerful syndicates are allegedly operating the illegal trade.
The fraudsters use artificial intelligence (AI) to produce counterfeit tickets that resemble genuine Kerala paper lottery tickets. They manufacture the tickets in large numbers and sell them to unsuspecting buyers, sometimes selling the same ticket to several people.
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The operators initially pay out small prizes to gain buyers’ trust. However, when a buyer approaches them to claim a substantial prize, they switch off their mobile phones and disappear, leaving the buyer with financial losses.
Satheesan said the racket was a serious criminal enterprise that threatened the credibility of the State’s lottery system. He assured the Assembly that rigorous measures would be taken to identify those involved and bring them to justice.
The Lottery (Regulation) Act provides for imprisonment of up to two years for such offences, he said. The Lottery Department was taking stringent action against the illegal trade.
Besides cheating lottery buyers, the racket causes losses to the State exchequer and undermines the livelihoods of legitimate lottery sellers and workers.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
