As The Times of India (TOI) reports, the Mahadev Betting App appears to be operating as ‘Mahaadev’ via proxy links and rebranded websites. TOI said it accessed the platform by posing as a user and found out that the app offered more than just cricket betting. Options on offer included IPL betting and markets related to assembly elections, among others.
A Reported User Journey
TOI also highlighted the existence of a frictionless onboarding process:
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A “Get Your ID Now” prompt;
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A WhatsApp handoff;
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A Rs 300 registration payment via UPI QR code;
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User login credentials;
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Instructions for deposits and withdrawals.
Such a setup indicates a distribution strategy focused on speed and repeatability.
Not the Comeback of a Small, Isolated App
On March 25, the Enforcement Directorate said the Mahadev Online Book case involved a large-scale international betting syndicate that used multiple online platforms and a franchise-based network of ‘Panels’ or ‘Branches’ across India. Its main promoters operated and controlled the network from Dubai. According to the agency, it had attached 20 properties amounting to around Rs 1,700 crore in Dubai and New Delhi, whereas the total attachment, seizure, and freezing in the case was roughly Rs 4,336 crore.
In addition, the ED noted that the group used mule accounts, hawala services, cryptocurrency payments, and layered financial structures for transferring funds. This context helps to understand why the rebranding could work despite years of scrutiny. The underlying structure is resilient enough to sustain its operations despite changes in domains or enforcement action.
A Broader Enforcement Problem
As TOI has highlighted in December, TGCSB records showed that 678 victims approached police with online betting complaints in 2025, with total losses being around Rs 9.57 crore. Despite the blocking of 148 betting websites in 2025, as pointed out by the same report, the number of complaints still increased.
The main issue appears to revolve around whether the authorities can disrupt the very foundation of the illegal setup. This core includes payments, reseller networks, mirrors, and customer acquisition through instant messaging applications. When the same network can come back into the market by simply changing the branding, then enforcers need to outpace those rebuilding efforts.
