Outlook Business Desk
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating celebrities including Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Urvashi Rautela, and Sonu Sood for allegedly promoting surrogate fronts of banned betting platforms like 1xBet. These platforms often operate under the guise of skill-based online games to mask their true nature as illegal betting operations, which are prohibited under Indian law.
According to multiple sources, celebrities were questioned over ads for platforms like “1xbat,” which allegedly redirected users to the banned site 1xBet via QR codes and web links. Officials claim this violates Indian laws on online betting.
The ED found that platforms claiming to offer skill-based games were actually using rigged algorithms, turning them into games of chance. This reclassification qualifies them as gambling operations under Indian law.
The agency stated that celebrity promotions, including those by Yuvraj Singh, greatly boosted the visibility of these platforms and played a role in scamming unsuspecting users.
Preliminary findings by the Enforcement Directorate indicate violations of multiple Indian laws, including the Information Technology (IT) Act, the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The platforms are also accused of breaching government regulations related to online gambling and digital advertising. Based on this, the ED is widening the scope of its investigation.
The ED estimates over ₹50 crore was spent by these platforms on advertising across media outlets to promote surrogate betting platforms.
The ED action is part of a broader effort to stop illegal betting. In May, Telangana Police booked 25 actors—including Rana Daggubati and Prakash Raj—for ties to similar platforms that allegedly caused huge losses to low-income families.
Some actors say their endorsements were legal in permitted regions. Rana Daggubati’s team cited Supreme Court rulings on skill-based games. In the Mahadev Betting App case, former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel was named in a CBI FIR for allegedly accepting ₹508 crore in bribes— he has denied all charges and called it political.
The Mahadev Betting App case alone involves illegal earnings of over ₹6,000 crore. ED says the promoters used spinoff apps like Fairplay to bypass bans. Experts estimate India’s illegal betting market at $100bn, used by 110 mn+ people, and linked to 1,000+ suicides—including minors.