ED records statement of Google representative in online betting apps probe

Meta didn’t send its representative on Monday, they said. However, another person aware of the matter said that the parent company of Facebook is cooperating with the investigation and has written to ED on the matter.

An officer said, “A senior executive of Google appeared before the agency at its headquarters in Delhi with documents sought by it in connection with the advertisements given by online betting apps and websites on its platform”. The name of the Google representative has not been disclosed by the agency.

Google did not directly comment on the matter but sent a statement to HT: “We’re committed to keeping our platforms safe and secure, prohibiting the promotion of illegal gambling ads. Our continuous AI advancements, complemented by human expertise, ensure all ads on our surfaces comply with local laws and our strict ad policies, and protect users from evolving threats. Last year alone, we removed 247.4 million ads and suspended 2.9 million advertiser accounts in India. We are extending our full support and cooperation to investigating agencies to hold bad actors responsible and keep users safe.”

Earlier, notices were issued to both Google and Meta for July 21 but both the tech giants sought more time.

ED is probing multiple illegal online betting platforms and has questioned tech firms and media houses’ representatives, who have received money in the form of advertisements from them.

Several platforms hosting illegal betting and gambling links, including instances of advertisements placed for them on various social media outlets and app stores, are under the ED scanner.

In 2023, the Union ministry of information and broadcasting issued four advisories to newspapers, broadcast news channels, entertainment channels, publishers of online news and current affairs content, online advertisement intermediaries (like Google and Facebook), and social media platforms to not advertise online betting platforms.

Despite these instructions from the Centre that advertisements of online betting platforms are not permitted, eminent personalities in the field of entertainment and sports endorsed them. These actors and sportspersons are also under the ED’s scanner and they could be summoned soon, according to an ED officer.

According to the information gathered by ED over the past several months, multiple betting platforms, which have been banned over the years, still run their operations by changing names and are promoted by celebrities and social media influencers.

“These platforms are in violation of multiple laws and directions by the Indian government, including tax evasion, money laundering, and Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) as money is transferred out of the country illegally. It is estimated that around 22 crore (220 million) Indian users are currently engaged on various betting apps, and 11 crore (110 million) of these are regular users,” said an officer.

In just the first three months of 2025, more than 1.6 billion visits were recorded on illegal betting websites or apps and it is suspected that the online betting market in India might be worth around $100 million, the first ED officer said. “The estimates also suggest that top betting apps are evading ₹27,000 crore in taxes every year,” he said.

The government has issued 1,524 blocking orders against illegal gambling websites and mobile apps between 2022 and June 2025, as revealed in a response from the ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) in the ongoing monsoon session.