• India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) has widened its money laundering investigation into illegal online betting platforms, questioning high-profile actor Rana Daggubati.
• He is the latest in a series of celebrities to be summoned, with actors Prakash Raj and Vijay Deverakonda also recently questioned under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
• The investigation centres on allegations that celebrity endorsements were used to give a veneer of legitimacy to illicit platforms accused of laundering vast sums of money.
• The probe has also extended to major technology platforms, with the ED having questioned executives from Google about how these illegal apps were advertised.
• This multi-faceted crackdown signals a major offensive by Indian authorities against the entire ecosystem supporting the country’s black market for online gambling.

India’s primary economic intelligence agency, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), has expanded its sweeping investigation into illegal online betting, with Indian film star Rana Daggubati being the latest high-profile figure to be questioned. Daggubati appeared before the agency’s zonal office in Hyderabad on Monday.

His summons is part of a much larger probe into money laundering, with the ED examining the role of celebrity endorsements in promoting these illicit platforms. Several other prominent actors, including Prakash Raj and Vijay Deverakonda, have also been questioned in recent weeks under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The Strategy: Using Influencers to Build Trust

According to official sources, the ED is investigating how these illegal platforms used celebrity and influencer marketing to gain public trust and credibility while allegedly laundering crores of rupees. Investigators are examining the financial trails to determine whether any proceeds of crime were masked through brand endorsement payments.

Some of the celebrities have reportedly claimed they weren’t aware of the platforms’ illegal business practices. In a recent statement, Vijay Deverakonda said he had endorsed a gaming application that he believed was licensed and recognised by the government.

Probe Extends to Tech Giants

The ED’s investigation isn’t limited to the celebrity endorsers; it has also targeted the digital platforms that enabled their advertising. The agency recently summoned representatives from Google and Meta to answer questions about how advertisements for these illegal betting apps were allowed on their platforms.

Google executives have appeared before the agency and provided a statement of cooperation. “We are committed to keeping our platforms safe and secure, prohibiting the promotion of illegal gambling ads,” a spokesperson said. “We are extending our full support and cooperation to investigating agencies.”

A Multi-Front War on the Black Market

This multi-layered approach-targeting the platforms themselves, their celebrity promoters, and the advertising channels that support them-signals a new and more comprehensive strategy by Indian authorities to dismantle the country’s vast and complex online gambling black market.

The ED’s case is built upon multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) filed by state police forces across the country. For legitimate operators watching the Indian market, the crackdown is a significant development, highlighting both the scale of the illegal competition and the increasing determination of federal agencies to enforce the law.