When New Delhi Post broke the investigation exposing Dream11’s money laundering round-tripping and financial opacity, the reaction was inevitable.
Just days later of our revelation, the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, announced that the state would press the Central Government and Ministry of Electronics & IT to enact a ban on real money online gaming citing addiction, fraud, and now, alleged links to illicit financial flows. Fadnavis publicly called online gaming “a new‑age addiction” and highlighted 97 such cases, including raids on illegal operations across Maharashtra, while urging immediate amendments to relevant legislation.
Meanwhile, at the govt level, the Ministry of Finance and MHA escalated their work to classify gaming platforms as “reporting entities” under the PMLA. It has also kick-started inter-ministerial discussions on anti-money laundering. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) also summoned major platforms, including Dream11, to a global consultation on money laundering risks
The fresh activity, sparked by New Delhi Post’s probe, demonstrates the power of investigative journalism to shape policy, spotlight financial misconduct, and drive government action.
