ED targets tech giants: Google, Meta summoned over betting app probe on July 21
money laundering activities
. The questioning will take place on July 21. ED alleges that both Google and Meta platforms played a role in promoting betting apps which are under scrutiny for financial crimes. The apps in questions have been accused of hawala transactions and violations of the
Prevention of Money Laundering Act
(PMLA). Investigators claims that both Google and Meta offered advertising space and algorithmic visibility to the apps which enable the apps to each to a wider audience in the county.
ED summons Google, Meta
As reported by news agency ANI, ED has issued notices to Google and Meta in ED summons Google, Meta on July 21 in Betting App case. 'Google and Meta platforms are promoting betting apps via advertisements and facilitating their reach to users,' sources told ANI.
ED is not examining the role of Google and Meta in the promotion of these illegal apps. This move comes days after ED searches four locations in Mumbai and seized unaccounted cash of Rs 3.3 crore along with some luxury watches, jewellery and more.
Key developments in the betting app case
As per the report, the problem targets apps which pose as skill-based games but are actually involved in illegal gambling. The ED has already booked 29 celebrities and influencers, including actors Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, and Prakash Raj, for endorsing such platforms.
Apps like Junglee Rummy, A23, JeetWin, Parimatch, and Lotus365 are already under investigation for laundering crores of rupees through paid promotions. The summons mark a significant escalation in the ED's crackdown on the digital ad ecosystem, as authorities examine whether tech platforms are complicit in enabling the spread of illicit betting operations
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