In a significant move against the online illegal Betting app India launched an operation, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued summons to tech giants Google and Meta as part of its ongoing illegal Betting app investigation. The probe, conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), aims to uncover the role of digital advertising in promoting banned betting platforms, officials said.
The ED department has asked that the Executives from both Google and Meta to appear before the agency on July 21 to record their statements. Sources within the ED have confirmed that specific documents and transaction records have also been sought from the companies.
According to senior ED officials, the investigation spans across multiple digital and media platforms that allegedly facilitated surrogate advertising for betting websites. Among them many of which continue to operate by rebranding themselves despite being officially banned
Illegal Betting App in India: A ₹100 Million Underground Industry
The ED estimates that over 22 crore Indians are currently using various online betting platforms, with 11 crore identified as regular users. The agency suspects these operations to be part of a sprawling illegal industry worth nearly $100 million, with some of the top betting apps evading ₹27,000 crore in taxes annually.
The probe has revealed that banned betting platforms continue to operate by changing names and domain addresses. These platforms are promoted aggressively through celebrities, social media influencers, and digital advertisements — many of which appeared on mainstream digital platforms like Google and Meta.
Celebrities, Influencers, Media Houses Also Under ED Radar
Apart from digital platforms, the ED is now also scrutinizing celebrities, actors, sportspersons and influencers who have promoted these betting platforms despite multiple advisories from the Centre. The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had issued four public advisories in 2023, urging all media platforms and intermediaries to cease advertising for online betting services.
Bollywood actress Tamannaah Bhatia appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Guwahati on Thursday (October 18, 2024)in connection with a money laundering case related to the now-defunct HPZ Token mobile app. The app allegedly duped investors with false promises of profits through Bitcoin mining and cryptocurrency investments.
Some media houses that allegedly received advertising revenue from such platforms are also under investigation.
A third ED officer revealed that several benami accounts have been traced, which were used to funnel funds related to betting operations. In addition, between 2022 and February 2025, the government has issued 1,410 blocking orders for websites and mobile apps linked to online betting, gambling, and gaming.
Despite these measures, user engagement remains high, with over 1.6 billion visits to illegal betting sites recorded in the first three months of 2025 alone.
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