New Delhi, Sept 23 (UNI) Former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh today joined the probe of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a Prevention of Money Laundering Act case related to the banned betting application 1xBet.
Singh reached the ED’s headquarters in Delhi at 12:15 pm. Singh was summoned by the ED to join the investigation last week.
Several major celebrities were also summoned by the ED for questioning. Sources told UNI that former Indian cricketers Robin Uthappa and Yuvraj Singh, along with Bollywood actor Sonu Sood were summoned. Sood’s statement is scheduled for September 24.
According to ED sources, these celebrities were utilized in promotional campaigns for 1xBet, which significantly helped the illegal platform build a substantial user base in India despite its prohibition.
The agency also issued a statement expressing concern over a new threat emerging from the recent ban on regulated money gaming apps. It warned of a potential rise in illegal betting platforms targeting users in India and emphasized the need for focused strategies to counter this challenge.
Officials provided staggering figures to illustrate the scale of the problem, noting that in the first quarter of this year alone, illegal betting websites received more than one billion hits. The total value of unregulated gambling activity is estimated to be approximately USD 100 billion.
This recent action is part of a wider crackdown, with the ED having already recorded statements from several other personalities. Bengali actor Ankush Hazra was questioned recently, while actress Urvashi Rautela has not yet complied with the probe.
Since June, the investigation has also involved former cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan, as well as many other actors, concerning their alleged endorsements of illegal gaming apps.
Investigators highlighted that a common tactic used by these platforms is to disguise gambling activities as “skill-based games” to evade legal restrictions. They clarified that the outcomes are predominantly based on chance rather than actual skill and that fantasy games involving monetary stakes operate with rigged algorithms.
The officials stated unequivocally that any game involving money at stake constitutes gambling.
