ED Provisionally Attaches ₹1,906 Crore Assets of Gameskraft, Shareholders in Alleged Rummy Culture Money Laundering Case
(Judicial Quest News Network)
New Delhi/Bengaluru, July 24, 2026: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Bengaluru Zonal Office, has provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth approximately ₹1,906 crore belonging to M/s Gameskraft Technologies Pvt. Ltd., its shareholders, and associated entities in connection with the alleged Rummy Culture App money laundering case under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The attachment was affected through a Provisional Attachment Order dated July 22, 2026.
According to the Enforcement Directorate, the attachment forms part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged generation and laundering of Proceeds of Crime (PoC) arising from the purported cheating of players participating in online real-money rummy gaming platforms.
The attached assets include bank balances, fixed deposits, mutual fund investments, convertible notes, equity shares, a farmhouse, and several high-value residential and commercial properties held in the names of the company’s shareholders, their family members, private family trusts, and other associated entities.
The ED initiated its investigation on the basis of multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) registered by law enforcement agencies in Telangana for offences of cheating under the provisions of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which constitute scheduled offences under the PMLA.
As part of the probe, the agency had earlier conducted extensive search and seizure operations under Section 17 of the PMLA at the corporate offices of Gameskraft Technologies Pvt. Ltd. and the residences of its directors and key employees between May 7 and May 13, 2026, and again on June 20 and June 21, 2026. The searches allegedly led to the recovery of several incriminating documents, digital devices and electronic records, which the ED claims have yielded crucial evidence in the investigation.
The investigation has allegedly revealed that Gameskraft Technologies Pvt. Ltd. and Rummy Time Technologies Pvt. Ltd. operated online real-money gaming platforms, particularly rummy games and tournaments, through mobile applications under brands including Rummy Culture, Rummy Prime, play ship, and Rummy Time, collectively catering to nearly three crore users across the country.
The ED has alleged that a substantial number of these users were based in States where online real-money gaming is prohibited, including Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
According to the agency, the companies earned significant revenues by charging platform commissions ranging from 10 to 15 per cent on users’ staking and wagering amounts.
A significant aspect of the investigation, the agency stated, concerns the alleged deployment of BOTs (automated gaming programs) against unsuspecting users while simultaneously assuring players that the platforms were transparent, fair and free from automated participants.
According to the ED, the use of BOTs allegedly caused substantial financial losses to users while generating illicit gains for the companies in the form of platform commissions.
The agency has further alleged that the companies adopted deceptive and addictive marketing practices to attract and retain users. It claimed that nearly ₹1,035 crore was spent on promotional campaigns, referral bonuses, free tournament entries and reward programmes to induce continuous gameplay and encourage larger deposits.
The investigation also alleges that restrictive withdrawal mechanisms, including withdrawal levies ranging between 5 and 10 per cent, were imposed in certain cases, while users were incentivised to convert withdrawable balances into non-withdrawable “Game Cash” through so-called “Super Booster” offers.
According to the ED, even dormant users particularly those who had stopped playing after suffering significant financial losses were allegedly targeted through cash credits, promotional offers, push notifications, SMS campaigns and telemarketing initiatives to entice them back onto the gaming platforms.
These practices, the agency contends, created an addictive gaming ecosystem that encouraged repeated wagering and enabled the companies to generate substantial proceeds of crime.
The Enforcement Directorate has further alleged that the proceeds generated through these activities were subsequently layered and integrated by way of dividend payments and share buy-backs benefiting shareholders.
The funds were allegedly diverted into investments such as mutual funds, bonds, convertible notes, equity shares, movable assets and premium immovable properties, including assets held through family trusts and associated entities, with the objective of projecting them as untainted properties.
The ED also recalled that during the earlier search operations, movable assets valued at approximately ₹495 crore were frozen under Section 17(1A) of the PMLA, besides the seizure of ₹11 lakh in cash and approximately 2.30 kilograms of gold and diamond jewellery, including bullion.
With the latest provisional attachment, the total value of assets attached, frozen and seized during the course of the investigation has reached approximately ₹2,401 crore, making it one of the largest enforcement actions involving the online real-money gaming sector.
The investigation remains underway, and the Enforcement Directorate has stated that further proceedings are in progress in accordance with the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
