The Shadow Game: Agencies Track Crypto and Hawala Trails Behind Illegal Betting Networks

As cricket fever builds around upcoming global tournaments and the next season of the Indian Premier League, Indian enforcement authorities are widening their surveillance beyond stadiums and screens.

Multiple Agencies — including the Enforcement Directorate, Central Bureau of Investigation, National Investigation Agency, and specialized Cybercrime units — are reportedly intensifying scrutiny on illegal betting syndicates suspected of routing funds through cryptocurrency channels and informal hawala networks operating from offshore hubs such as Dubai, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.

Officials familiar with enforcement trends indicate that many networks previously dependent on conventional digital payments have shifted toward crypto-linked instruments, including stablecoins like USDT. In Kerala, authorities have uncovered cases where USDT was being misused to route betting proceeds across state and international borders, making detection more complex. Similar operations are also being monitored in Delhi, highlighting how these syndicates spread across multiple regions.

Investigators are reportedly monitoring wallet clusters, transaction layering patterns, and coordinated cross-border fund movements. Parallel intelligence inputs suggest that informal money-transfer systems — commonly referred to as hawala channels — are also under heightened watch. Authorities believe that in some cases, offshore operators may be using these systems to settle accounts outside formal banking routes.

Recent crackdowns across multiple states have focused not only on app-based platforms but also on financial intermediaries, shell entities, and high-volume current accounts suspected of being used as conduits. The strategy appears to be shifting from platform takedowns to ecosystem disruption — mapping the financial architecture behind betting operations rather than merely blocking access points.

For enforcement agencies, the objective is clear: trace the money trail end-to-end.

As matches captivate the nation, investigators are working quietly behind the scenes — following blockchain data, scrutinizing remittance flows, and coordinating internationally to curb illicit networks.

The contest off the field is increasingly about financial intelligence, regulatory enforcement, and cross-border cooperation.

And unlike a cricket match, this game has no fixed overs.