25 celebrities and social media influencers have been booked by Miyapur police from Hyderabad for allegedly promoting betting and gambling apps. The list includes six actors and 19 social media influencers, including Rana Daggubati, Vijay Devarakonda, Prakash Raj, Manchu Lakshmi, Praneetha, and Nidhi Agarwal. Cases have been filed under Sections 318(4), 112, and 49 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Sections 3, 3(A), and 4 of the Telangana Gaming Act and Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act have also been invoked.
The platforms named in the police report are both legally recognised platforms, like A23 and Junglee Rummy, in addition to illegal ones, such as PariMatch and FairPlay. Regardless of their legal recognition, all such platforms are banned in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh as the states have had a blanket ban related to all online gaming involving real money since at least 2017.
Given their legal status, stars promoting platforms like A23 and Junglee Rummy don’t face legal backlash, especially considering big Bollywood stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgan promote A23 and Junglee Rummy respectively. However, since gambling and betting are state subjects, the aforementioned Telugu celebs now face legal action.
While the state is within its right to charge individuals in its jurisdiction for illegal activities, the booking has been made under the BNS and IT Act. This makes the offence more serious and, more importantly, non-bailable compared to the Gambling Act, which can result in a fine not exceeding fifty rupees or imprisonment, either simple or rigorous, for any term not exceeding one calendar month.
Real-money gaming and online gambling services in India are having a tough time. In addition to paying 28 percent GST, states are further ramping up restrictions. Following in the footsteps of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, the Haryana Government has also introduced the Haryana Prevention of Public Gambling Bill, 2025, in the assembly to tackle match-fixing, spot-fixing, and gambling in sports, including online platforms.
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