IPL trigger: Rs 8 lakh crore betting nexus goes full throttle
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Mumbai: With the Indian Premier League (IPL) just days away, India’s underground network of illegal fantasy gaming and betting platforms is once again springing to life, driven by a powerful nexus of offshore operators and local promoters.
Despite a ban under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act (PROGA), these apps continue to target Indian users through Telegram channels, influencers and affiliate marketers. Enforcement agencies say activity has surged ahead of the IPL season.
Investigators describe the ecosystem as a multi-thousand-crore shadow industry. Promoters earn hefty commissions, money moves through shell accounts and hawala channels, and users are lured with promises of “guaranteed winning fantasy teams”.
Agencies including the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Income Tax Department and cybercrime units are closely tracking these networks, with officials indicating possible action. The IPL is the most lucrative period for such platforms, with promoters activating networks weeks in advance. India’s illegal online betting and gaming market is estimated to exceed Rs8 lakh crore, making it one of the country’s largest underground digital economies. Millions of users access offshore platforms via mirror websites and mobile apps hosted abroad but tailored for Indian audiences. Investigations suggest these platforms receive billions of visits annually, particularly during major cricket tournaments.
The government recently blocked 242 illegal betting websites, taking the total to nearly 8,000. However, officials say blocking alone has limited impact.
“Every time a site is blocked, another appears within hours,” a cybercrime official said. “The real engine is the promotion network.”
At the core is a vast web of Telegram channels and social media groups run by promoters, often with hundreds of thousands of followers.
One such channel, Fantasy Cricket Guru, run by a promoter identified as Saif, has over 700,000 members. Users are funnelled to betting apps through referral links. These apps, though hosted overseas, are designed for Indian cricket fans. “Promoters create an illusion of easy winnings,” said a former gaming marketing executive. “Their real goal is to drive deposits.” Investigators say a significant share of the money is routed through hawala networks to operators abroad, raising concerns over large-scale capital outflows from India.
