The Enforcement Directorate has widened its probe into illegal online betting networks, zeroing in on endorsements by cricketers Harbhajan Singh and Suresh Raina, and actor Urvashi Rautela. Sources told a media house that these celebrities—and several others—have been questioned as part of a sweeping investigation into the promotion of banned platforms, including the notorious 1xBet.
Authorities allege these platforms have operated under surrogate identities, such as “1xbat”, deploying slick ad campaigns embedded with web links and QR codes that redirect users to the original illegal betting sites—flouting Indian law with alarming audacity.
“These platforms present themselves as hosting skill-based games,” the ED has said, “but use rigged algorithms that classify them as gambling operations under existing Indian laws.” The agency believes the involvement of high-profile figures—like Yuvraj Singh, who also features on their endorsement radar—has given these platforms “massive visibility” while simultaneously “cheating people”.
A preliminary inquiry flags possible violations of the Information Technology (IT) Act, the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), and various government notifications. Representatives for Mr Singh and Mr Raina have declined to comment. Ms Rautela’s team, and those of other public figures including actor Sonu Sood, have yet to respond.
The financial scale is staggering. Media companies are also under scrutiny, with ED sources revealing payments exceeding ₹50 crore made to various firms to run these aggressive ad campaigns.
“Thousands of lakhs of rupees are involved in these illegal platforms… it is leading families into distress, especially that of middle-class and lower middle-class,” the complainant said. The fallout is tragic: financial scams linked to these betting apps have reportedly driven over 1,000 suicides—including among school students.
This is far from an isolated case. Between 2023 and 2024, the Mahadev online betting app scandal exploded, ensnaring bureaucrats, police, and political heavyweights—including former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, alleged by some to be a key beneficiary. Baghel has rejected all allegations, calling them “politically motivated”, timed to damage his party ahead of the 2023 state elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Much like the 1xBat-1xBet model, Mahadev’s promoters—currently facing extradition from Dubai—used a shadow platform called the Fairplay app to reroute traffic and skirt detection. In April, ED sources told NDTV the projected illegal proceeds from the Mahadev betting racket could surpass ₹6,000 crore, underscoring the colossal scale of these digital crime syndicates.
The celebrity connection doesn’t end there. In May, the Telangana Police named 25 actors—including Rana Daggubati and Prakash Raj—in connection with illegal betting app endorsements. Both actors denied wrongdoing, insisting they no longer support such platforms and had previously endorsed them only in regions where skill-based online games are legally allowed.
“It is essential to note,” a spokesperson for Daggubati said, “these online games have been recognised by the Supreme Court as distinct from gambling, as these games are based on skill not chance.”
Yet, despite mounting crackdowns and ongoing investigations, the industry remains a juggernaut. Experts estimate India’s illegal betting app market is worth over $100 billion and is ballooning at a rate of 30 per cent annually. There are reportedly over 11 crore daily users—a chilling figure in light of the growing body count and the psychological toll exacted on families across the country.
As the ED continues to tighten its grip, it becomes increasingly clear: what began as flashy celebrity endorsements has morphed into one of the country’s most pressing financial and social crises.
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