Sri Lanka, Aug. 14 -- An illegal betting operation known locally as "Kotu Kapima" has emerged as a growing social and financial concern in Sri Lanka, with authorities warning that the underground scheme was attracting increasing numbers of gamblers and large sums of money.

The issue was highlighted during a meeting of the CoPE Subcommittee, where National Lotteries Board Chairman M.D. Cyril Anthony Perera warned about the rapid expansion of the illegal betting operation and its impact on individuals and families.

Kotu Kapima involves betting on a number of combinations linked to the last two digits of government lottery results. Gamblers can reportedly place bets on combinations involving numbers from 0 to 9, with the amounts varying s...