Explore Business Standard
The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday raided premises linked to online gaming platforms WinZO and Gamezkraft as part of a money laundering investigation, official sources said. A total of 11 premises were covered in the raids, including five located in Bengaluru, four in Delhi and two in Gurugram (Haryana), they said. The search action is being conducted by the Bengaluru zonal office against the two online gaming companies which own websites named WinZO app and Gamezkraft (pocket52.com), ED sources said. The two platforms could not be immediately contacted for a comment on the ED action against them. The corporate offices of the two gaming operators along with residences of their CEOs, COOs and CFOs are being covered in the action. It is alleged in the police FIRs filed by the victims that these gaming companies"manipulated" the algorithm of the app putting the gamers at disadvantage, the sources alleged. The federal probe agency suspects that the promoters "owned" crypto wallet
The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre to file a comprehensive reply on petitions challenging an online gaming law which prohibits "online money games", and bars banking services and advertising related to them. A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and K V Viswanathan was informed that the Centre has filed its reply on the interim prayer made in the pleas. "We want the Additional Solicitor General appearing for the Union to file a comprehensive reply to the main petition itself," the bench said. It said copy of the reply be served in advance to the advocates appearing for the petitioners and if they want to file any rejoinder, they may do so at the earliest. The bench posted the matter for hearing on November 26. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 is the first central legislation banning real-money online gaming, including fantasy sports and e-sports played for stakes and has faced challenges before the Delhi, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh high courts. Sen