The police in Bengaluru have discovered a network of agents operating for casinos in Sri Lanka and other nations, believed to be associated with cybercrime leaders or managing cybercrime operations themselves.
These agents—active in Karnataka, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, and Hyderabad—are reportedly engaged in money laundering activities. According to a highly placed police source, they promote casinos on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Telegram.
The agents outline the available packages and gather payments. They also manage the logistics: travel to and from India, overseas accommodation, meals, and, upon request, a companion of the customer’s preferred gender.
Upon the customer’s arrival abroad, the casinos provide coins equivalent to the amount paid for the selected package.
Initially, law enforcement was perplexed as to why individuals would travel abroad for gambling when they could easily visit Goa. A more thorough investigation revealed the appeal: foreign casinos offer a win probability of 33%, in contrast to just 8% in Goa.
However, these agents are not registered in India, and there is a lack of clarity regarding how the funds collected from customers are transferred to casinos overseas.
The police now intend to contact the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) to investigate the money-laundering aspect. A senior police officer overseeing the case stated that several agents have been identified. The network attracted the police’s attention during the investigation of a cybercrime incident in southern Bengaluru.
An elderly couple, who were digitally arrested, fell victim to a scam amounting to Rs 4.75 crore. In one instance, the fraudsters instructed the couple to transfer Rs 10 lakh to the bank account of a friend of Eshwar Singh, a man from Hyderabad.
When questioned by the police, Singh disclosed that the money was a refund from a casino in Sri Lanka, where he had gambled a few months prior. This revelation led investigators to uncover connections between the casino and cybercriminals, ultimately exposing the broader network.
When a customer clicks on a link, agents clarify the available packages and process payments; they also manage the logistics. When a customer arrives abroad, casinos provide coins that correspond to the amount paid. Foreign casinos are alluring as they offer a win probability of 33 percent, in contrast to only 8 percent in Goa. The link was brought to the police’s attention during the investigation of a cybercrime case in southern Bengaluru.
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