Quick-commerce platform Zepto has said it has fully cooperated with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and shared all information sought by the agency in connection with its investigation into the alleged promotion of offshore betting platform Parimatch in India.
In a statement to NDTV Profit, Zepto clarified that the advertisement under scrutiny was placed in March 2025 through a third-party media agency arrangement and that the company had no direct relationship with the advertiser being investigated.
"Zepto has fully cooperated with the Enforcement Directorate and shared all information available to the company," the company said.
According to Zepto, the advertisement was executed through an external media agency on behalf of a merchandise entity. The company stated that it did not directly onboard, contract with, or manage the advertiser in question and had no involvement in any betting, gaming, payment, user acquisition, or operational activities linked to the entity under investigation.
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The company further noted that since the campaign was managed externally, it connected the investigating team with the concerned agency to facilitate any additional inquiry.
Zepto also rejected suggestions that it played an operational role in the matter, stating that any such claims were inaccurate.
"We urge media platforms to report the facts responsibly and avoid speculations which lead to inaccurate association of the company with activities it had no part in," the statement added.
The clarification comes after media reports suggested that the ED had sought information from Zepto as part of its ongoing probe into the activities of Parimatch and its promotional efforts in India.
According to reports, the enforcement agency is examining advertisements and marketing campaigns allegedly linked to Parimatch, as well as the channels through which such content may have reached Indian consumers. The probe is also understood to include a review of advertiser verification processes and the nature of any engagement between digital platforms and the entities involved.
The development comes amid heightened regulatory scrutiny of offshore betting and gaming platforms operating in India. Enforcement agencies have increasingly focused on investigating the promotional, advertising and payment ecosystems that may facilitate the reach of such platforms to Indian users.
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