ED uncovers complex web of illegal betting and streaming operation

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has identified entities allegedly involved in spreading and disguising the proceeds of crime in a case against several mobile applications, including Fairplay, accused of illegally streaming cricket matches and facilitating online betting. Agency sources report that investigators are working to trace the ultimate beneficiaries of these operations.
According to ED sources, the entities under scrutiny are suspected of “layering” the proceeds of crime, a process that involves distributing illicit funds across various transactions to obscure their origins. The applications in question are accused of illegally streaming cricket matches, including several Indian Premier League (IPL) fixtures in 2023, as well as offering online betting on the 2024 Lok Sabha election results.
The ED’s investigation has revealed that Fairplay allegedly collected funds through approximately 400 bogus or shell bank accounts. These funds were then filtered through a complex network of corporate bank accounts before being consolidated in pharmaceutical firms engaged in fraudulent billing practices. Subsequently, the money was reportedly diverted to overseas shell entities located in Hong Kong, China, and Dubai.
“We are meticulously examining the bank accounts, along with the trail and utilisation of funds gathered from the general public by Fairplay,” an agency source disclosed.
The Fairplay app is purportedly linked as a subsidiary to the Mahadev Online Book (MOB) platform, whose illegal online betting activities have been under separate ED investigation since 2022. The current probe against Fairplay Sports LLC and others stems from a First Information Report (FIR) registered by Mumbai’s Nodal Cyber Police. The complaint, filed under sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act, alleges a loss of revenue exceeding ₹100 crore, which the ED considers proceeds of crime.
The initial complainant alleged that cricket matches were illegally streamed on Fairplay, and that numerous celebrities had endorsed and promoted the betting application. The ED’s investigation uncovered that Fairplay had allegedly forged agreements through foreign-based entities in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, and Curaçao with Indian agencies representing celebrities. Sources indicate that the probe found no due diligence had been performed by these Indian agencies regarding Fairplay before executing promotional agreements.
In June, the ED conducted searches in Mumbai and Pune, seizing movable assets worth approximately ₹8 crore in connection with the case. Following this, in August, the agency carried out searches at nine fintech firms in Delhi and Haryana. These companies allegedly acted as financial service providers for some of the accused mobile applications and were involved in disbursing betting proceeds to players.