ED Summons Tech Titans: Google, Meta Under Scrutiny for Online Betting Ads
India’s financial crime-fighting agency, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), has summoned senior executives from Google and Meta to appear at its Delhi headquarters on Monday, July 21, in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to online betting applications. According to two government sources cited by Reuters, the two tech giants are facing allegations of facilitating the promotion of illegal betting platforms.
The first source stated that authorities are investigating whether “these platforms helped promote illegal apps through advertisements.” The second source added that, despite government bans, Google and Meta were allegedly involved in promoting illicit activities, and financial transactions related to these actions are also under scrutiny.
In 2022, India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had advised media and digital platforms to refrain from advertising betting and gambling services. Both Google and Meta have yet to issue any comment on the matter.
