The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sent notices to tech giants Google and Meta, asking them to appear for questioning on July 21. The summons are part of an ongoing investigation into online betting apps. The probe has already drawn attention to several celebrities and influencers accused of promoting illegal gambling platforms, and this latest action marks a major step forward in the case.
The ED has accused both Google and Meta of actively facilitating the promotion of betting applications that are currently under investigation for serious financial crimes, including money laundering and hawala transactions. Authorities allege that these tech companies provided prominent advertising slots and allowed websites linked to these online betting platforms to gain visibility on their respective platforms, thereby contributing to the widespread reach of these illicit operations.
This latest development follows a series of actions by the ED in recent weeks. The agency has been meticulously investigating a vast network of online betting apps, many of which are suspected of masquerading as skill-based games while actually engaging in illegal gambling. These platforms are believed to have generated illicit funds worth crores of rupees, often routed through complex hawala channels to avoid detection.
Last week, the ED registered a case against 29 individuals, including prominent actors, television hosts, and social media influencers, for allegedly promoting these illegal betting applications. Celebrities like Prakash Raj, Rana Daggubati, and Vijay Deverakonda are among those who have been named in the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), with allegations that they received substantial financial compensation for endorsing these apps.
Among the cases, the Mahadev Betting App stands out as a high-profile financial scandal, with the total scam estimated to exceed Rs 6,000 crore. Several Bollywood celebrities have been questioned in connection with the case, which has also seen allegations of political kickbacks, including ED’s claim that former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel received over Rs 500 crore from the app’s promoters.
Another case under investigation is related to the Fairplay IPL betting app, which illegally streamed IPL matches and enabled unauthorised online betting. This led to major revenue losses for Viacom18, the official broadcaster of the tournament. Several Indian celebrities who promoted the app are now under the scanner, as their endorsements helped it gain wide popularity. The probe has led to arrests, the attachment of assets worth hundreds of crores, and chargesheets against multiple people.