New Delhi | November 6, 2025 | Special Correspondent: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached assets worth over ₹11.14 crore belonging to former Indian cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan in connection with a money-laundering investigation linked to the illegal online betting platform 1xBet.
According to the ED, the attachment order — issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) — covers a residential property worth ₹4.5 crore owned by Dhawan and mutual fund investments of ₹6.64 crore held by Raina.
What Is 1xBet and Why the Investigation
1xBet is a foreign-based online betting platform, registered in Curacao, which describes itself as an international bookmaker. The platform has been operational for nearly 18 years and claims to have over 400,000 active users worldwide.
Investigators allege that both cricketers “knowingly” entered into promotional contracts with foreign entities behind 1xBet to promote the betting site in India — even though such platforms are prohibited under Indian law.
Multiple Celebrities Under ED Lens
Sources said that apart from Raina and Dhawan, the agency has also questioned former cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa, along with Bollywood and regional film celebrities including Sonu Sood, Urvashi Rautela, former MP Mimi Chakraborty, and Bengali actor Ankush Hazra.
Officials clarified that the questioning focused primarily on the nature of promotional agreements, the flow of payments, and whether the endorsements violated foreign exchange or gambling laws.
Government’s Crackdown on Illegal Online Gaming
The ED’s action comes amid the government’s renewed crackdown on illegal betting and real-money gaming platforms, following the enactment of the Online Gaming (Promotion and Regulation) Act, 2025.
The Ministry of Electronics and IT informed Parliament earlier this year that between 2022 and June 2025, over 1,500 illegal gaming and betting websites had been ordered to be blocked in India.
Wider Implications for Sports and Advertising
Legal experts say the case could mark a turning point in how celebrity endorsements of online platforms are scrutinized.
“The ED appears to be signaling that ignorance of a brand’s legal status is no defense,” said a Delhi-based lawyer familiar with the probe. “This could force public figures to vet international partnerships more carefully.”
ED’s Expanding Focus on Digital Financial Crimes
The agency’s recent actions underline a broader shift — extending beyond traditional financial crimes to digital-era offenses such as online betting, fraudulent investment schemes, and gaming-related money laundering.
Officials said such activities “pose a growing threat to financial integrity and consumer protection” as the boundaries between entertainment and online finance continue to blur.
