India’s Dafabet Probe Exposes Hidden Machinery of Illegal Gambling

India’s recent crackdown on illegal online gambling has taken a major step forward with the arrest of 11 individuals allegedly linked to a network promoting the offshore Dafabet betting platform.

The ongoing probe has uncovered a complex web of 46 mule accounts spread across eight separate layers of the operation, pulling back the curtain on the hidden machinery that powers unregulated Asian betting markets.

Authorities found that the network relied on a network of shell firms and unregulated payment intermediaries to move funds, obscure the origins of gambling proceeds, and avoid detection by financial regulators and law enforcement agencies.

The Dafabet case highlights the sophisticated, layered infrastructure that offshore betting operators use to operate in markets where online gambling is heavily restricted or fully illegal, and underscores the growing challenge for regional authorities to crack down on these cross-border illegal operations.