ED Summons Meta, Google Officials in Illegal Betting Case
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), India’s anti-money laundering agency, has formally summoned executives from Google and Meta to appear at its New Delhi office on July 21, 2025, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) .
🔎 Why:
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The summons are part of a broader investigation into illegal online betting apps suspected of money laundering, hawala-based fund transfers, tax evasion, and using surrogates—like influencers and celebrities—to advertise these services .
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ED alleges Google and Meta facilitated this by allowing betting platforms to purchase ad space and benefit from algorithmic visibility, potentially flouting a 2022 government advisory urging platforms to avoid promoting gambling to vulnerable audiences, including youth .
🌐 Investigation Highlights:
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Platforms like Mahadev, Fairplay IPL, and others—including “dabba trading” apps—are under scrutiny.
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Investigators have traced illicit proceeds allegedly totaling tens of thousands of crores of rupees through hawala channels .
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ED has registered cases including an ECIR against 29 celebrities for endorsing these platforms .
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Google and Meta are expected to explain their advertising policies, content moderation practices, and due diligence processes .
🚨 What’s Next:
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ED will record statements from Google and Meta representatives on July 21.
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The investigation will delve into whether these platforms knowingly aided illegal betting promotions and whether they accepted payments from betting operators.
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Other tech firms, media houses, influencers, and celebrities linked to these ads may also be summoned .
