New Delhi, Sept 30 (UNI) Actress Urvashi Rautela today joined the investigation in a money laundering case linked to the illegal banned betting app ‘1XBet’.
Earlier, Bollywood actor Sonu Sood, former Indian Cricketer Yuvraj Singh and web series ‘Gandi Baat’ actress Anveshi Jain recorded their statements.
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 about 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 numerous actors from the Tollywood film industry, 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.
