NEW DELHI: India’s financial crimes enforcers have seized Dubai property and domestic bank deposits worth Rs 307 crore in a crackdown on an online betting operation centred around the Fairplay platform, according to a PTI report.
The Enforcement Directorate froze land, villas and flats in the Gulf emirate alongside Indian bank accounts under anti-money laundering laws, the agency said on Monday. The haul represents one of the largest asset seizures in India’s escalating war against illegal online gambling.
The probe stems from a complaint filed by Viacom18 Media with Mumbai Police’s cyber wing, alleging the betting platform had inflicted revenue losses exceeding Rs 100 crore through violations of information technology and copyright laws.
Investigators subsequently bundled together multiple cases against Fairplay and its associates for illegal online betting operations. The web of connected entities suggests a sophisticated money-laundering network spanning domestic and international jurisdictions.
The seizures underscore how Indian authorities are pursuing betting operators’ offshore assets with increasing vigour. Dubai has emerged as a favoured destination for parking proceeds from India’s booming but largely illegal online gambling sector.
The Fairplay case highlights the complex interplay between broadcasting rights violations and betting operations, with platforms allegedly using pirated content to drive traffic to gambling sites.
India’s regulatory crackdown on online betting has intensified as authorities grapple with the sector’s explosive growth and its links to money laundering and tax evasion.
