Yuvraj Singh appears before ED in online betting app case

Former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday, 23 September, for questioning in a money laundering case linked to the online betting platform 1xBet, officials said. Singh, 43, reached the agency’s central Delhi office around noon and recorded his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

An influencer, Anveshi Jain, was also questioned in the same investigation. In recent weeks, the ED has summoned former cricketers Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, and Robin Uthappa, along with former TMC MP and actor Mimi Chakraborty and Bengali actor Ankush Hazra. Actor Sonu Sood is scheduled to appear on Wednesday.

Investigation Details

The ED is probing 1xBet’s operations in India, where the platform is alleged to have defrauded users of crores of rupees while evading significant direct and indirect taxes. Registered in Curacao, 1xBet is a global bookmaker with 18 years of experience, offering services in 70 languages.

Officials said the questioning centers on how celebrities were approached for endorsements, the intermediaries involved in India, payment modes and locations, and whether they were aware that online betting is illegal in India. Celebrities are also being asked to submit contracts, emails, and other documentation related to 1xBet.

The agency is examining whether the funds received by celebrities could qualify as “proceeds of crime” under the PMLA.

Background

The Indian government recently banned real-money online gaming, passing legislation to regulate the sector. At a recent national meeting in Jammu and Kashmir, the ED announced targeted strategies to investigate financial crimes tied to illegal online betting.

Prior to the ban, market estimates suggested around 22 crore Indians used online betting apps, with about half as regular users. The sector was valued at over USD 100 billion and growing at roughly 30% annually. Since 2022, authorities have issued 1,524 orders to block online betting and gambling platforms across India.

With PTI inputs