ED Cracks Down on Goa Casino: ₹2.2 Crore Seized, Cryptocurrency Transactions Exposed

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated a money-laundering investigation targeting a Goa casino, resulting in the seizure of ₹2.25 crore and $14,000 (₹8.5 lakh). The two-day search operation, conducted on Sunday and Monday, covered 15 locations, including casinos, restaurants, and hotels, across Goa, Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Rajkot. The investigation focused on entities such as Big Daddy Casino, M/s. Golden Globe Hotels Pvt. Ltd., and M/s. Worldwide Resorts and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. These companies operate the Big Daddy and Casino Strike casinos in Goa. The ED found that poker chips were being exchanged for foreign currency, and winnings were disbursed in foreign currency based on customer requests. The investigation also revealed that poker players were utilizing cryptocurrency wallets for financial transactions. The agency discovered that staff members were actively promoting multiple online casino platforms, including rolex777.co, iCasino247.com, and play247s.com. Additionally, the ED uncovered the use of angadia services via crypto wallets for USDT transfers to Dubai and other international destinations. Several mule accounts were identified, used for the deposit and withdrawal of gambling winnings, which were then transferred abroad. During the operation, various cryptocurrencies, including USDT valued at over ₹90 lakh, were frozen. Incriminating documents and digital evidence, which establish violations of FEMA provisions and linkages with cross-border hawala/crypto transactions, were seized.