AI-generated illustration: The Bengaluru Live | thebengalurulive.com
Bengaluru: The Enforcement Directorate’s Bengaluru Zonal Office has provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth approximately Rs 442.35 crore in the RummyCulture app and Gameskraft Technologies Pvt. Ltd. case, the agency said in a statement shared on X on September 27.
Enforcement Directorate (@dir_ed) — September 27, 2026
The action takes the total value of alleged proceeds of crime attached, frozen and seized in the investigation to approximately Rs 2,843 crore, according to ED. The latest provisional attachment order, No. 40/2026, was issued on September 25 under Section 5(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
ED said the newly attached assets include fixed-deposit balances, commercial shops, a villa and residential properties held in the names of family members, private family trusts and entities associated with shareholders of Gameskraft Technologies.
The agency said it began its money-laundering investigation on the basis of multiple FIRs registered by law-enforcement authorities in Telangana for alleged cheating under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
According to ED, searches were conducted at Gameskraft’s offices and the homes of its directors and key employees from May 7 to 14 and June 20 to 21, 2026. The agency said documents, digital devices and electronic records seized during those searches formed part of its evidence.
ED alleged that Gameskraft Technologies and RummyTime Technologies operated online real-money rummy games and tournaments through brands including RummyCulture, RummyPrime, Playship and RummyTime. It said the platforms had around three crore users across India and that a significant number were in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, where it said online real-money gaming had been banned.
The companies charged platform commissions of 10% to 15% on amounts staked or wagered by users, ED said. It alleged that automated players, or bots, were deployed without users’ knowledge or consent despite assurances that the platforms were transparent, fair and free of bots. The agency claimed this caused financial losses to users and generated proceeds of crime for the companies.
The statement also alleged deceptive user-acquisition and retention practices. ED said the companies spent approximately Rs 1,035 crore on marketing and promotions, using bonuses, referral incentives, free tournament entries and rewards to encourage continued play and deposits.
ED further alleged that restrictive withdrawal mechanisms included a 5% to 10% withdrawal levy in some cases, while “Super Booster” offers encouraged users to convert withdrawable balances into non-withdrawable “Game Cash”. It said dormant users, including those who had stopped playing after heavy losses, were targeted with cash credits, promotional offers, push notifications, SMS messages and telemarketing calls.
The agency alleged that the resulting funds were layered through dividends and share buybacks, and invested in mutual funds, bonds, convertible notes, equity shares, movable assets and high-value properties, including assets held through family trusts and associated entities.
Earlier in the investigation, ED said, movable assets valued at approximately Rs 495 crore were frozen, while Rs 11 lakh in cash and gold and diamond jewellery, including bullion weighing 2.30 kg, were seized. It had also provisionally attached properties worth approximately Rs 1,906 crore.
ED said further investigation was in progress. The allegations are the agency’s account of its investigation; the release did not include a response from Gameskraft Technologies or RummyTime Technologies.
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