India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) has questioned Google in an ongoing money laundering probe tied to illegal online betting advertisements. Meta, however, failed to attend despite receiving a similar summons.
The ED is investigating how unlicensed gambling platforms managed to run ads on major digital channels, potentially misleading users and enabling large-scale financial crimes. Officials suspect the operations involved significant tax evasion and laundering of “several crores of rupees.”
Google complied with the summons and sent representatives to appear before the agency. It also pledged full cooperation and is expected to submit relevant documents and a compliance officer’s statement. “We’re committed to helping investigators hold bad actors accountable and protect users,” a Google spokesperson said.
In contrast, Meta—owner of Facebook and Instagram—did not send any representatives or provide an explanation for its absence. The company has yet to issue a public comment.
The ED’s probe has widened to include celebrities, social media influencers, and athletes who may have promoted illegal platforms.
Google stated that it uses both AI and human review to enforce ad policies. In 2023, it removed over 247 million ads and suspended nearly 3 million advertiser accounts in India.
