Assets worth Rs 442 crore seized in Gameskraft case, says ED
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has temporarily seized movable and immovable assets valued at Rs 442.35 crore as part of its ongoing money laundering investigation into Gameskraft Technologies Private Limited and its associate, RummyTime Technologies Private Limited, the agency said on Sunday. The agency also said it issued a provisional attachment order on September 25 under Section 5(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
The assets include fixed-deposit balances, commercial shops, a villa, and several residential properties.
Family members of Gameskraft shareholders, private family trusts and several linked entities hold these assets. The total value of the assets attached, frozen, and seized as part of the investigation has reached about Rs 2,843 crore, the agency said. The investigation began after law-enforcement agencies in Telangana filed several first information reports.
Gameskraft and RummyTime provided online real-money games, especially rummy games and tournaments, through mobile applications marketed under brands such as RummyCulture, RummyPrime, Playship, and RummyTime.
The companies allegedly promised users that the games would be conducted transparently and fairly, with no automated participants. In reality, however, they allegedly used bots, automated programs, and algorithms against unsuspecting players without their knowledge or consent. Additionally, users were lured using bonuses, referral incentives, entries into free tournaments and other promotional rewards.
The platforms reportedly had a user base of about three crore players nationwide. The ED said many of these users were in States where online real-money gaming is banned, such as Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The Union Government banned online money gaming in August 2025.
The ED claims that the profits from the illegal activities were layered and incorporated into the formal financial system, using methods such as paying dividends, carrying out share buy-backs, and investing in mutual funds, bonds, convertible notes, equity shares and high-value real estate, usually going through family trusts and related companies so that the money seemed clean.
The ED has said its investigation is still ongoing.
