Telangana CID’s crackdown marks an important step in tackling a nationwide crisis of illegal betting apps. With deep links to money laundering, celebrity endorsements, and devastating social consequences, authorities are pushing for tougher laws and coordinated action to curb the problem once and for all. Officials described the operation as the first-of-its-kind multi-state crackdown by the Telangana CID.
The raids targeted operators who were running several betting platforms, including Taj 007, Fairnlo Live, Andhra 365, VL Book, Telugu 365, and S 365. Along with the arrests, the CID seized multiple electronic devices and has begun following money trails to track down the real masterminds, who are believed to be based overseas.
This action is part of a broader effort by the Telangana government to tackle online gambling, which has caused huge financial losses and has even been linked to several suicides in the state. To strengthen the investigation, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) had already been set up earlier to probe online betting cases.
Major Betting App Cases in Telugu States
Illegal betting rackets have become a serious problem in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Investigations often expose a deep network involving local agents, international kingpins, and massive financial transactions running into crores.
Tollywood and Influencer Links…
Police in Hyderabad have booked several Tollywood actors and social media influencers for promoting illegal betting apps. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has stepped in as well, summoning big names from the Telugu film industry as part of its money laundering probe. These investigations are based on FIRs filed across multiple police stations in the two states.
In another major case, Hyderabad police busted an online betting network operating through Khelostar, Khelo24, and Khelo Exchange. They arrested eight people, seized 18 mobile phones, 13 ATM cards, and froze online transactions worth nearly Rs 30 lakh. However, the main accused is still on the run.
Suicides and Financial Distress
The most alarming aspect of these cases is their social impact. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the Supreme Court highlighted that over 1,000 suicides in Telangana alone have been linked to gambling-related financial distress.
Nationwide Investigation
The crackdown on betting isn’t limited to Telangana—across India, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and police have been investigating illegal platforms, many of which have ties to foreign operators and involve large-scale money laundering.
The ED provisionally attached assets worth about Rs 651 crore linked to the “Fairplay” betting and broadcasting platform. These included properties in India and Dubai. Authorities allege that the platform caused over Rs 100 crore in revenue losses through unauthorized broadcasting and betting activities.
The ED is also probing money laundering linked to the betting app 1xBet, questioning cricketers and film stars in the process. Investigators estimate India’s illegal betting market could be worth over $100 billion, with a huge share routed through these apps.
Chinese-Linked Fraud
In yet another case, investigators found that a Chinese-run betting app generated nearly Rs 400 crore, which was funneled into cryptocurrency wallets controlled by Chinese nationals. Four people have already been arrested in connection with this case.
Year-Wise Trends and Crackdowns
2022–2023: The government reported issuing over 1,500 orders to block online gambling and betting platforms. Still, most resurface under new domain names because of their offshore setup.
2023–2024: This period saw growing pressure on celebrities and influencers, with agencies linking endorsements to illegal gambling and money laundering.
2025: The focus has now shifted to targeting local handlers and operators-as seen in the recent CID crackdown. At the same time, there is growing demand for tighter regulations and a stronger inter-agency approach to curb this fast-spreading menace.