Telangana CID Says 11 Arrested in Alleged Dafabet Betting Network Using 46 Mule Accounts

Authorities in Telangana say they arrested 11 people in an alleged betting operation linked to Dafabet, with the financial side built around bank accounts, shell companies, technical support services, and payment channels designed to move money without drawing attention. For PSPs, the interesting part is not the brand name; it is the layering method: mule accounts, intermediaries, and split roles across acquisition, processing, and infrastructure.

1. The Telangana Criminal Investigation Department says it uncovered 46 so-called mule bank accounts operating through multiple layers of transactions across several Indian states. Investigators believe those accounts were used to collect and transfer gambling funds through a network of intermediaries.
2. Authorities allege the arrested suspects had different functions inside the network, including sourcing bank accounts, processing players’ deposits, managing shell companies, and handling technical infrastructure. That is the sort of division of labor that makes payment flows look like ordinary commerce until you map the endpoints.
3. Investigators also say the operation relied on marketing campaigns promoting cricket betting, casino products, and the Aviator game. New users were reportedly lured with promises of quick profits and early payouts before being pushed toward larger wagers.
4. Telangana CID Director General Charu Sinha said: “Illegal online betting platforms are not harmless gaming avenues; they are organized criminal enterprises that exploit vulnerable citizens, siphon money through layered financial networks and fuel cyber-enabled crime.”
5. Dafabet was founded in the Philippines in 2004 and started operating under a license issued by the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority. The brand also has regulated operations in the United Kingdom and Malta through licensing partnerships, and it has signed sponsorship deals with Celtic FC and several English Premier League clubs.

For high-risk processors, the takeaway is straightforward: betting networks do not need one obvious merchant account when they can spread activity across mule accounts, shell companies, and intermediary services. That is the structure investigators are looking for, and the structure banks and PSPs have to be able to spot before it starts moving volume.