The Exact Method Illegal Online Betting Networks Use To Cash In On IPL

The phrase flashes openly across Telegram groups and betting chats on social media as online IPL betting networks continue to thrive in the shadows of India's biggest cricket tournament.

From Telegram links and WhatsApp forwards to direct promotional calls, betting platforms are aggressively targeting users during the IPL season, luring them in with bonus offers, referral schemes and easy sign-ups.

"I am Rahul from Playguru sports betting app. I want to inform you about the exclusive offer during IPL. Make a Rs 500 deposit for up to Rs 25,000 match bonus," one such caller said.

The pitch remains largely the same across platforms - easy money, quick winnings and high-return bets during the IPL season.

Many such apps promise assured profits and instant rewards to draw users, just like in any other online gaming or betting operation. But for many users, the cycle often ends in repeated losses, mounting debts and gambling addiction. Investigators in many instances have also linked gambling-driven financial distress to cases of crime, self-harm and cyber fraud.

Once installed, these apps resemble ordinary gaming platforms but work as sophisticated betting exchanges. Earlier, betting was largely limited to predicting match outcomes, but users can now engage in micro-betting throughout the game. Bets can be placed on almost every moment, the next wicket, boundary, runs in an over or even the result of a single delivery.

With odds fluctuating in real time, the betting is designed to keep users continuously engaged throughout the match. These platforms and apps also operate through agent networks. Local handlers recruit users, manage deposits and work on commissions.

Pramod (name changed), a "bookie", explained to NDTV how the system operates through betting IDs and agents. "Users first pay to create a betting ID, after which points equivalent to the deposited amount are credited to their account. If someone deposits Rs 1 lakh, they get points worth the same amount," he said.

"Most bets are placed ball-by-ball during IPL matches, starting from as little as Rs 500. The odds change every ball on boundaries, sixes, wickets or how many runs will come in the next over,"  said the "bookie" who has been involved in online betting for decades.

According to Pramod, such betting apps are easily available online, while agents act as intermediaries handling money transfers and user accounts. "Most of these apps operate from abroad, and settlements are usually calculated every Monday," he added.

The internet makes it easier because it reduces the risk of getting caught, he said. "Person X won't know the exact details of person Y, so it reduces the risk considerably."

Across Telegram too, gamblers run closed channels marketed as "exclusive" spaces for bettors. Many claim near-perfect prediction rates from toss outcomes to ball-by-ball calls. "Play unlimited on this toss," one such message reads, as users are pushed toward high-frequency betting throughout the match.

Traditional betting networks were often limited by physical presence of local bookies, cash transactions and a smaller circle of known gamblers in each racket. Bets were usually placed on final match outcomes, and access to the network itself remained restricted. But online betting has transformed the scale and speed of gambling. Today, users can place bets instantly through mobile apps and encrypted groups, often without ever meeting an agent physically.

Modern betting platforms encourage continuous "micro-betting", where users wager on nearly every ball, boundary or wicket during a match. The constant flow of changing odds, instant payments and round-the-clock accessibility has made betting far more immersive and addictive than before.

With betting apps operating digitally and many platforms based overseas, authorities say tracking money trails and regulating such networks has become significantly more difficult than in the era of traditional bookies.

"Traditionally, we found the physical presence of money and people. Now the gambit has exceeded both people and money," Indian Police Service officer Shristi Pandey, serving as Additional DCP (East District), told NDTV.

"Tracing money routed through multiple bank accounts and converted into forms like Bitcoin remains a major challenge," the officer said, adding such investigations need extensive analysis of digital footprints and transaction trails.

Pandey said online platforms have removed the physical barriers once associated with gambling. "One no longer needs to move out to do betting. There is no limit to the number of people or the amount of money involved," the officer said, underlining how digital betting networks have expanded both the scale and reach of illegal gambling operations.

One such racket was busted earlier this week by the east district police. The accused used apps such as Sky Live Pro and Data Calculation Ver 1.0 to place heavy bets during the Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings match. Investigation into the servers used by the accused is going on.

Cybersecurity expert Pawan Duggal said enforcement becomes difficult because many of these platforms are based outside India. "Online betting and gambling are prohibited under Indian law, yet these apps continue operating," he said.

"Foreign operators often refuse to cooperate with Indian law enforcement agencies, making it difficult to trace operators, gather data and take action across jurisdictions," he said, adding these apps continue to profit heavily from Indian users while remaining outside Indian legal accountability.

Duggal warned that such platforms aggressively lure users with promises of "quick money" and "easy winnings", while exposing them to financial losses, cyber fraud and even data theft.

"Law enforcement agencies may need new digital strategies and stronger enforcement mechanisms," he said, adding the government already has powers to block illegal betting platforms.