India's Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a criminal case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in October 2022 over the Mahadev online betting app, taking cognisance of seven police FIRs filed in Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal1. The agency set out its findings in a sixth prosecution complaint, or charge sheet, filed days before 24 September 2026 before a special PMLA court in Raipur, the Chhattisgarh capital, naming 42 individuals and companies as accused1.
The ED told the court the Mahadev app and its sister websites generated proceeds of crime worth Rs 94,400 crore over the last 10 years1. It estimated the main app alone at Rs 75,000 to Rs 80,000 crore over the last seven years of its operations, which it dates to 2019, and said the platform is still in operation and running a large number of panels1. Sister site Skyexchange.com, operational since 2016, generated about Rs 11,000 to Rs 12,000 crore, and Lotus365.com about Rs 2,400 crore, according to the agency1. The ED described the figures as a provisional estimate that could be revised if better evidence emerges1.
The agency said the app offers betting on poker, card games, chance games, cricket, badminton, tennis and football, along with card games such as Teen Patti and Dragon Tiger, virtual cricket and markets on Indian elections1. It said the sites are advertised through closed WhatsApp and Telegram groups and Facebook pages1. The ED alleged the operation ran with the "active support and connivance" of local police and politicians in Chhattisgarh, and that bureaucrats and politically exposed persons received illegal gratification for turning a blind eye1.
"As per the latest findings of the investigation under PMLA, 2002, it is found that Mahadev Online Booking Application is still in operations and running huge number of panels"
The ED said it has arrested 14 people, identified 116 accused across six charge sheets, searched 190 premises nationwide, and seized and attached assets worth Rs 2,104 crore1. It said a TV host who promoted betting apps gave the agency two demand drafts totaling Rs 1.20 crore out of the Rs 1.50 crore she earned from endorsements, and that raids on her homes in Delhi and Mumbai in May seized Rs 30 lakh in cash1. The agency said panel operators from Bhilai, Raipur, Bhopal and Delhi earned between about Rs 3.5 crore and Rs 60 crore1.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Alleged proceeds of crime, Mahadev app and sister sites | Rs 94,400 crore over 10 years |
| Alleged proceeds, Mahadev app alone | Rs 75,000 to Rs 80,000 crore since 2019 |
| Alleged proceeds, Skyexchange.com | Rs 11,000 to Rs 12,000 crore |
| Alleged proceeds, Lotus365.com | Rs 2,400 crore |
| Accused named in sixth charge sheet | 42 |
| Accused identified across six charge sheets | 116 |
| Arrests | 14 |
| Assets seized and attached | Rs 2,104 crore |
| Premises searched | 190 |
What it means for players
Betting on games of chance is restricted in India, and the ED treats the Mahadev platform and its sister sites as part of an alleged money laundering operation rather than a licensed operator1. The agency says the app remains live and is still recruiting through closed messaging groups and social media pages, so players who use it are dealing with a service that Indian authorities have already charged as illegal1. The charge sheet also names people who promoted such apps, including a TV host whose endorsement earnings the ED counted in full as proceeds of crime1. For background on what is permitted in the country, see Can I Gamble in India? and Gambling Laws in Asia: What Is Legal in 12 Jurisdictions.
What happens next
The sixth prosecution complaint is before a special PMLA court in Raipur1. The ED said its proceeds figure is provisional and would be updated if further evidence emerges1. No date has been reported for the next hearing, and the sources do not say whether any of the 42 accused named in the latest charge sheet have responded to the allegations.
