Betting App Controversy Grows: Prabhas, Nandamuri Balakrishna, Gopichand Booked For Promoting Chinese Gambling Platform

Recently, top Tollywood stars were booked by Cyberabad Police for promoting betting apps. Cases were registered against six Telugu actors including Rana Daggubati, Vijaya Devarakonda, Prakash Raj, Manchu Lakshmi amd Nidhi Agarwal and 19 social media influencers at Miyapur Police Station of Cyberabad Commissionerate in the matter. Now, according to reports, Prabhas , Nandamuri Balakrishna and Tottempudi Gopichand have also been booked for promoting the Chinese betting app Fun88.

Also read: Illegal Betting Apps Row Involving Vijay, Rana And Others Explained

Fun88 operates via Google Chrome. The app is accused of duping lakhs of users by luring them into playing games by betting money on them. Complainant Rama Rao Immaneni further claimed that the app is linked to a banned Chinese gaming platform and thus promoting it violates the Telangana Gaming Amendment Act, 2017, and the Digital Media Ethics Code. Investigation is underway but no arrests have been made yet.

25 celebs booked for promoting betting apps

Cyberabad Police had recently booked Tollywood actors Rana Daggubati, Vijay Devarakonda, Prakash Raj, Nidhi Agarwal and others for alleged promoting of betting apps. Around 19 social media influences were also named in the FIR.

Also read: Rana Daggubati & Other 24 Celebs Booked For Promoting Betting Apps

One Phanidra Sharma, a resident of Miyapur, in his complaint, stated that he found several celebrities and social media influencers actively promoting illegal betting apps, websites and other platforms. The complainant said the promotion of betting apps was causing harm to individuals and society by encouraging this addictive short-term risky money-making behaviour leading to financial distress. As part of the investigation into the case, the police issued notices to the accused named in the FIR. A few of them appeared before police. Rana Daggubati and Vijay Deverakonda, through their PR teams, issued statements denying any wrongdoing, while promising full compliance with the law and the authorities.