New Delhi, July 19 -- In a major development that intensifies the crackdown on illegal online betting networks, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued notices to tech giants Google and Meta, summoning them for questioning on July 21. The move signals a significant expansion of the investigation into a sprawling digital betting scam with links to money laundering and hawala operations.

The ED is currently probing a wide web of online betting apps that have allegedly been operating outside legal boundaries. So far, at least 29 celebrities and social media influencers have been charged for promoting these platforms, drawing millions of users into potentially fraudulent schemes.

In a surprising turn, the ED has now turned its focus tow...