What Prompted Zepto To Respond To Reports About The Parimatch Probe?
Quick commerce startup Zepto has issued a clarification after media reports linked the company to an ongoing Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation involving offshore betting platform Parimatch. The company said it has fully cooperated with authorities and shared all information available to it regarding the matter.
The reports had suggested that the ED sought details from Zepto while examining promotional activities allegedly linked to Parimatch in India. The agency is reportedly investigating how advertisements and marketing campaigns associated with the betting platform may have reached Indian consumers through various digital channels.
In response, Zepto stressed that it had no direct involvement with the advertiser under investigation and rejected suggestions that it played any operational role in activities connected to Parimatch.
What Was Zepto’s Involvement In The Advertisement Campaign?
According to the company, the matter relates to an advertisement that appeared on its platform in March 2025 through a third-party media and vendor arrangement involving a merchandise entity.
Zepto clarified that it neither onboarded nor directly contracted the advertiser in question. The company stated that the campaign was handled externally and that it did not manage the advertiser or participate in any betting, gaming, payments, customer acquisition, or operational activities linked to the entity being investigated.
“Zepto did not directly onboard, contract with, or manage the advertiser in question,” a company spokesperson said, adding that the platform had no operational connection to the betting platform under scrutiny.
How Has Zepto Cooperated With The ED?
The company said it has fully cooperated with investigating officials and provided all information available to it.
According to Zepto, once authorities sought details, the company connected them with the vendor responsible for managing the advertising campaign to facilitate any further inquiry. Zepto said it remains committed to complying with legal and regulatory requirements and has extended all necessary support to the investigation.
The clarification appears aimed at distancing the company from any perception that it had an active role in promoting or facilitating the operations of the betting platform.
Why Is The Parimatch Investigation Significant?
The development comes amid increasing regulatory scrutiny of offshore betting and gaming platforms operating in India. Enforcement agencies have intensified efforts to investigate how such entities market their services, acquire users, and engage with consumers through digital platforms.
According to reports, the ED is examining advertising campaigns, promotional content, and advertiser verification processes linked to Parimatch. Authorities are also seeking to understand the role of intermediaries and digital platforms in distributing marketing material related to offshore betting operators.
The case highlights the growing focus of regulators on online advertising ecosystems and the responsibilities of platforms, agencies, and vendors involved in digital promotions.
For Zepto, the company maintains that its role was limited to an externally managed advertising arrangement and that it had no direct relationship with the advertiser under investigation.
