The Enforcement Directorate is investigating celebrities like Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, and Urvashi Rautela for promoting illegal betting apps like 1xBet. The crackdown highlights violations of Indian laws and the growing threat of online gambling scams worth billions.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has widened its investigation into the illegal online betting ecosystem by questioning celebrities like cricketers Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, and actress Urvashi Rautela.
These personalities are being investigated for allegedly promoting banned platforms like 1xBet, which used surrogate branding strategies to attract users.
According to ED sources, these platforms disguised themselves with similar-sounding names, such as 1xbat, and used QR codes and web links to redirect users to the original, illegal betting sites.
Though marketed as platforms for skill-based games, the ED claims these websites were powered by rigged algorithms and fall under gambling operations as per Indian law.
The investigation reveals that by partnering with high-profile celebrities—including Yuvraj Singh—these platforms gained significant visibility.
The ED argues that such endorsements misled the public, allowing platforms like 1xBet to cheat users while skirting regulations.
Preliminary findings suggest the celebrities and platforms may have breached several laws, including the Information Technology (IT) Act, Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The investigation also refers to violations of government-issued guidelines regarding gambling and betting promotions.
The ED is also examining the role of media companies that ran advertising campaigns for these apps. More than ₹50 crore was allegedly paid to various outlets to broadcast promotional content for these illegal betting platforms.
The current investigation follows similar actions in Telangana, where police booked 25 actors, including Rana Daggubati and Prakash Raj, for promoting illegal betting apps. Complaints highlighted the devastating impact these apps had on lower and middle-income families across India.
In response to the FIRs, Daggubati and Raj claimed they no longer promote these apps and emphasized that their past endorsements targeted regions where skill-based games are legally allowed.
Their spokespersons cited a Supreme Court ruling that distinguishes skill-based games from gambling.
This isn’t the first time online betting apps have come under the scanner. The infamous Mahadev online betting scam from 2023-24 implicated several high-ranking politicians, including ex-Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, who was accused of benefiting from the scam. Baghel dismissed the allegations as politically driven.
The promoters of Mahadev—currently facing extradition from Dubai—reportedly created multiple offshoots like the Fairplay app to continue operations. The projected illegal profits from the Mahadev case alone are estimated to exceed ₹6,000 crore, according to ED officials.
Experts estimate that India’s illegal online betting market is valued at over $100 billion, growing at a staggering rate of 30% annually. Despite multiple crackdowns, the industry flourishes, drawing in around 11 crore daily users.
Authorities have also linked over 1,000 suicides—including those of students—to financial fraud caused by these apps.
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