Keralam govt will take strict action against fake lottery rackets: Chief Minister

The Keralam government will take strict action against those involved in the manufacture and sale of fake lottery tickets using social media and artificial intelligence (AI), Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan said in his reply to a submission on the issue in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday (October 28, 2026).

The Chief Minister said the illegal sale of counterfeit tickets under the guise of official paper lotteries was causing substantial financial losses to the State exchequer. The unauthorised sale of the same ticket to multiple people through social media was also creating serious problems for lottery workers and the public.

He cautioned that the racket was growing into “a large-scale criminal operation”, with such activities being reported particularly in districts such as Palakkad.

The Lotteries Department has adopted stringent action against those involved in such wrongdoing. Under the Lotteries (Regulation) Act, such offences could attract imprisonment of up to two years, Mr. Satheesan pointed out.

He said fraudsters were widely printing and selling fake lottery tickets and using AI technology to make them appear genuine. In many cases, the fraudsters allegedly offered small prizes to gain the trust of victims, but switched off their phones when victims claimed to have won larger prizes.