ED summons Google, Meta execs in probe over betting app ads: Report

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned senior executives of tech giants Google and Meta as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged money laundering tied to online betting apps, according to two government sources cited by Reuters.

The executives have been asked to appear before the agency at its New Delhi headquarters on July 21. The probe is looking into whether Google and Meta facilitated the promotion and reach of illegal betting apps by allowing them to advertise on their platforms, one of the sources told Reuters.

The second source alleged that both companies continued to allow advertisements for betting platforms, despite a government advisory explicitly prohibiting such promotions. The ED is also expected to examine the flow of funds from these betting apps to the two tech companies and whether other illegal platforms were similarly promoted.

Neither Google nor Meta has issued an official statement in response to Reuters’ request for comment.

The summons come at a time when India is stepping up scrutiny of digital platforms and their role in enabling financial fraud or unlawful activity. Online betting remains a legally grey area in the country, with several states banning such activities outright, while enforcement bodies have repeatedly flagged the use of offshore betting apps for money laundering.