The Election Commission on Thursday uploaded data it has received from the State Bank of India (SBI) on electoral bonds, which allowed individuals and companies to make donations to political parties. Coimbatore-based Future Gaming is the biggest donor of electoral bonds, according to the data disclosed on the orders of the Supreme Court. The list of entities which purchased electoral bonds to make political donations is a veritable Who's Who of the corporate world. But possibly the biggest donor, according to the list released Thursday by the Election Commission, is a little known lottery company called Future Gaming and Hotel Services.
According to the Election Commission, Future Gaming and Hotel Services had donated ₹ 1,368 crore in electoral bonds to political parties between April 12, 2019 and January 24, 2024.
All you need to know about Future Gaming and Hotel Services
- Future Gaming and Hotel Services was founded in 1991 and was earlier known as Martin Lottery Agencies Limited. It is owned by Santiago Martin, who is also known as the 'Lottery King' of India.
- According to the firm's website, Martin tried his luck in the lottery business at the age of 13, and managed to develop and secure a vast marketing network of buyers and sellers of lotteries all over India.
- According to Future's website, Martin was also the Consul General for Liberia, where he also set up a lottery industry.
- He is also the president of the All India Federation of Lottery Trade and Allied Industries, a lobby of lottery distributors, stockists and agents.
