Telangana Police Crack Down on Betting App Endorsements: FIR Filed Against 25, Including Top Actors

In a major crackdown on online betting promotions, the Cyberabad police in Telangana have registered a case against 25 individuals, including popular Tollywood actors and social media influencers. The accused are alleged to have endorsed illegal betting, gambling, and casino apps, which reportedly led to financial losses for the public. Among those named in the FIR are well-known actors such as Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverakonda, Manchu Lakshmi, Pranitha, and Nidhhi Agerwal.

Rana Daggubati and Prakash Raj, identified as Accused 1 and Accused 2, are alleged to have promoted Junglee Rummy through pop-up advertisements. Meanwhile, Vijay Devarakonda is accused of endorsing A23 Rummy, Manchu Lakshmi of promoting Yolo247, Pranitha of Fairplay Live, and Nidhi Agarwal of Jeet Win, all via pop-up ads, according to the police. In a statement, Commissioner of Police Avinash Mohanty confirmed these allegations. “This is just the beginning of that investigation. We will see what are these apps, who are the people involved, what is the source of these apps, and other aspects. Based on the merit of the case and evidence available, we will go forward.”

The police registered the FIR under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 318(4) for cheating and 112 for petty organized crime, along with section 49 for abetment. Additionally, charges were filed under the Telangana State Gaming Act (TSGA) sections 3, 3(A), and 4 related to operating a common gaming house. The case also includes Section 66(D) of the Information Technology (IT) Act, which pertains to cheating by personation using a computer resource.

The FIR stated, “These platforms are encouraging public, especially people in dire need of money, to invest their hard-earned and family money into those apps/websites and slowly get addicted to them, leading to total financial collapse.”

Listing several betting apps, the FIR further said, “All the above-referred betting applications are in direct violation of the gambling laws and regulations, especially, the Public Gambling Act of 1867, causing harm to individuals and society by encouraging this addictive easy money-making mechanism, leading to financial distress.”

The complainant claims that these platforms involve transactions worth thousands of crores, pushing numerous families, particularly from the middle and lower-middle classes, into financial distress. “The above-referred apps and individuals are only the tip of the iceberg. There are many more individuals promoting gambling, betting and casino apps/websites which are targeted towards luring young adults and the general public to make easy money and eventually lead them into complete financial breakdown. These platforms are actively promoting their apps/websites through social media advertisements with the help of celebrities and influencers, thereby reaching the target audience automatically without even the users actually search for it, which further exacerbates the problem,” the complainant said.