The Election Commission uploaded the data related to electoral bonds on its website on Thursday (14 March). According to the data, ‘Future Gaming’, a leading lottery distributor based in Coimbatore, has emerged as the biggest donor by donating Rs 1,368 crore to political parties through electoral bonds.
According to the data, 23 companies account for half of the total value of electoral bonds purchased since April 2019. Future Gaming and Hotel Services Pvt Ltd emerged as the top buyer.
The data released by ECI gives details of bonds worth Rs 12,155.51 crore which were purchased by more than 1,300 companies in about five years. Among them, Future Gaming and Hotel Services Private Limited bought bonds worth Rs 1,368 crore, which is the only company to cross the Rs 1,000 crore mark.
The company was established in 1991
The company, registered in the name of Future Gaming and Hotel Services Pvt., was established in 1991. It was founded by Santiago Martin, who is known as the ‘Lottery King’ of India.
Started lottery business at the age of 13
In an NDTV report quoting Future’s website, it has been told that Martin started lottery business at the age of 13. In the south the company operates under a subsidiary, Martin Karnataka, while in the north-east it opened Martin Sikkim Lotteries.
The company has more than 1000 employees in 13 states
The company claims to have more than a thousand employees in 13 states where lotteries are legal. The company does lottery business in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Goa, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Sikkim and West Bengal. Future is the sole distributor of ‘Dear Lottery’ in Nagaland and Sikkim.
The company was also registered in Tamil Nadu but in 2003, the government of then Chief Minister Jayalalitha banned lotteries and Martin shifted most of his business to Karnataka and Kerala.
Future Gaming also under investigation by agencies
Future Gaming and its associates are also under the scanner of investigating agencies. In October 2023, the Income Tax Department raided four locations of Martin and Future Gaming, related to the Enforcement Directorate’s investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. The investigation found that Martin and his associates had made illegal profits of approximately Rs 910 crore by inflating claims for prize-winning tickets between 2009 and 2010.
News Source: ABP News channel
