From Rags to Riches The Incredible Journey of India's Lottery King Revealed

Following orders from the Supreme Court, the Election Commission got electoral bond data from the State Bank of India a few days ago, which it posted on its official website on Thursday.

Based on the information provided, Santiago Martin is the leader of Future Gaming and Hotel Services, which is currently regarded as one of the largest purchasers of canceled election bonds for political purposes.

The business owned by Santiago Martin, also referred to as the "Lottery King," acquired electoral bonds under two separate businesses for a total value of more than ₹1,350 crores, and in March 2022, the Enforcement Directorate opened a probe into this matter.

Who is Santiago Martin?

As to the official website of the Martin Charitable Trust, Santiago Martin started his career in the lottery industry at a very young age and is currently the founder and chairman of the Martin Group of Companies. Martin has earned the moniker "Lottery King of India" for his sustained inventions and marketing prowess in the industry. Prior to entering the lottery industry, he was employed as a laborer in Yangon, Myanmar.

With yearly contributions of up to ₹1 billion alone, he was acknowledged as India's greatest individual taxpayer in 2004 when the Foundation for Excellence in Business Practices, Geneva, awarded him the Gold Medal for Business Excellence.

In addition to lottery tickets, the Martin Group of Companies, headed by Santiago Martin, also deals in building materials, real estate, technology, hospitality, construction, software, and other services.

Additionally, according to the website, he is the head of the All India Federation of Lottery Trade and Allied Industries, a group dedicated to enhancing the legitimacy and standing of the lottery industry in India.

"Under his leadership, his enterprise, Future Gaming Solutions India Private Limited, has become a member of the renowned World Lottery Association and is expanding into online gaming as well as casino and sports betting sectors," according to the website.

Future Gaming and Hotel Services Private Limited is said to have donated ₹1368 crores between 2019 and 2024.

Since 2019, the Enforcement Directorate has been looking into claims that the corporation violated the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Based on the claims made in the ED's letter—which purportedly stated that the company provided lotteries to the Sikkim government in Kerala—raids were also carried out in Coimbatore and Chennai in May 2023.

The business was charged with "allegedly manipulating the claims of award-winning tickets between April 2009 and August 2010," resulting in a ₹910 crore loss for Sikkim.