ED Summons Google and Meta in Online Betting App Case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued notices to tech giants Google and Meta as part of its ongoing investigation into alleged money laundering activities linked to online betting applications, official sources said.

Representatives from both companies have been summoned to appear before the ED headquarters in Delhi on July 21 (Monday). The development comes amid growing scrutiny over the role of digital platforms in promoting illegal betting operations.

According to sources, “Google and Meta platforms are promoting betting apps through advertisements and facilitating their reach to users.”

The ED is probing whether these platforms enabled the widespread promotion of betting apps that may have violated provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The case has gained momentum following recent raids in Mumbai, where the ED searched four premises tied to a major dabba trading and online betting racket.

During the searches, officials seized unaccounted cash worth ₹3.3 crore, luxury watches, jewellery, foreign currency, and high-end vehicles. Several cash-counting machines were also recovered.

The investigation focuses on the financial and operational activities of several illegal trading and betting platforms, including VMoney, VM Trading, Standard Trades Ltd, IBull Capital Ltd, LotusBook, 11Starss, and GameBetLeague.

Officials revealed that “online betting platforms operated through white-label apps and ADMIN rights exchanged on a profit-sharing basis.”

The ED’s investigation under the PMLA was initiated based on a First Information Report filed at Lasudiya Police Station in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, on January 9 this year. The FIR invoked Sections 319(2) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, previously IPC Sections 419 and 420, relating to cheating and fraud.

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