Goa Casino Under ED Scanner: ₹2.2 Crore Seized in Money Laundering Investigation

An Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation into alleged money laundering activities has resulted in the seizure of ₹2.25 crore and $14,000 (₹8.5 lakh) from 15 locations in Goa, Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Rajkot. The raids, which took place over two days (Sunday and Monday), targeted casinos, restaurants, hotels, and related establishments. The ED’s focus was on premises connected to Big Daddy Casino, M/s. Golden Globe Hotels Pvt. Ltd., and M/s. Worldwide Resorts and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., which operate Big Daddy and Casino Strike in Goa. The ED found that poker chips were being provided in exchange for foreign currency, with winnings being paid out in foreign currency. Furthermore, the agency discovered that cryptocurrency wallets were used by poker players for financial transactions. The probe revealed that casino staff promoted various online platforms, including rolex777.co, iCasino247.com, and play247s.com. The ED also uncovered the use of angadia services, facilitated through crypto wallets, to transfer USDT to Dubai and various global locations. Several mule accounts were identified for the deposit and withdrawal of gambling winnings, which were subsequently transferred overseas. The ED has frozen various cryptocurrencies, including USDT worth over ₹90 lakh, and seized documents and digital evidence indicating violations of FEMA provisions and connections to cross-border hawala and crypto transactions.