Telangana CID Busts Offshore Betting Network

A software engineer from Karimnagar reportedly lost nearly INR 1 million while gambling on the offshore betting platform Dafabet, prompting a complaint to Telangana police that eventually led to a coordinated crackdown across several Indian states.

The Telangana Crime Investigation Department’s Special Investigation Team carried out simultaneous raids in New Delhi, Gujarat and Punjab, resulting in the arrest of 11 individuals allegedly linked to an illegal betting and money movement network. Authorities also seized three luxury vehicles, eight laptops, 26 mobile phones and cash during the operation.

Investigators discovered that the victim’s funds had allegedly been routed through 46 mule bank accounts spread across eight separate transaction layers. According to officials, the structure was designed to channel money from Indian users toward offshore gambling operations while concealing the movement of funds.

The investigation uncovered what police described as an organized network operating through shell companies and layered financial systems. Those arrested reportedly included coordinators, intermediaries responsible for sourcing bank accounts, logistics personnel handling shell entities and technical support workers.

Authorities said the operation used online advertising campaigns promoting cricket betting, casino games and crash-style titles such as Aviator to attract users. Initial withdrawals were allegedly processed smoothly to gain player trust before encouraging larger deposits.

Data from India’s National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal linked the network to at least 225 complaints and 73 criminal cases across multiple states, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

Telangana police stated that the state has already registered more than 400 cases tied to illegal betting applications. Officials have also worked with internet service providers to block over 100 gambling apps and restrict access to dozens more platforms.

The investigation has additionally expanded into influencer marketing, with authorities identifying 25 celebrities and social media personalities accused of promoting unauthorized betting platforms. Police issued warnings, stating that future promotional activity could lead to criminal action.

Officials clarified that the current investigation does not accuse Dafabet’s licensed international entities of wrongdoing. The probe remains focused on the domestic financial infrastructure allegedly used to facilitate transactions linked to offshore betting operations.