The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached assets worth ₹11.14 crore (approx. US$ 1.3m) belonging to former Indian cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan in connection with an ongoing money laundering probe linked to the illegal offshore betting platform 1xBet.
The case stems from multiple First Information Reports filed by various state police departments against operators of 1xBet and its surrogate brands. According to the ED, the platform was operating illegally in India and used a network of branding, endorsements, and payment gateways to disguise its illicit activities.
What assets have been attached?
In the latest action, the ED issued a provisional attachment order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The assets seized include:
- A mutual fund investment worth ₹6.64 crore (US$ 749,437) belonging to Suresh Raina
- A commercial property in Delhi valued at ₹4.5 crore (US$ 508,475) owned by Shikhar Dhawan
The total value of the attached assets stands at ₹11.14 crore (approx. US$ 1.3m).
Endorsement deals under scrutiny
The ED’s investigation revealed that Raina and Dhawan entered into promotional agreements with foreign entities associated with 1xBet and its surrogates, despite the platform not being authorised to operate in India.
“These endorsements were made in return for payments routed through foreign entities to conceal the illicit origin of the funds, which are linked to proceeds of crime generated from illegal betting activities,” the agency alleged in a statement.
The cricketers’ involvement is part of a wider probe in which other celebrities and sportspersons—including Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa, Sonu Sood, Urvashi Rautela, Mimi Chakraborty, and Ankush Hazra—have also been questioned.
How 1xBet operated in India
Although registered in Curacao, 1xBet had established a wide digital presence in India through surrogate branding, misleading ads, and a complex web of financial transactions.
According to the ED, “1xBet operated in India without authorisation and used surrogate branding and advertisements to target Indian users through social media, online videos and print media. Payments for endorsements were structured through layered transactions using foreign intermediaries to disguise the illegal source of funds.”
Investigations uncovered that 1xBet was “facilitating” gambling and betting for Indian users by routing deposits through a vast network of over 6,000 mule accounts. The platform used various unverified payment gateways and merchants to handle funds, allowing transactions to fly under the radar.
₹1,000 crore ≈ US$ 112.9m money laundering trail
The scale of the alleged money laundering is staggering.
“On verification of profiles of these merchants, it is seen that the entities declared business activities that did not match their transaction patterns, indicating laundering of funds exceeding Rs. 1000 crore (≈ US$ 112.9m),” the agency said.
The ED has since frozen more than 60 bank accounts connected to the case and continues to seize incriminating evidence, as the investigation widens.
Government crackdown on online betting
This case comes amid increased regulatory focus on illegal online gaming and real-money gambling platforms in India. The central government has recently implemented stricter laws to ban and penalize such activities.
The ED has issued repeated public advisories warning against engaging in or supporting online betting operations. Individuals found knowingly aiding such platforms may face prosecution under PMLA, risking up to seven years in prison and asset attachment.
A growing concern for Indian sports
While neither Raina nor Dhawan has issued public statements following the ED’s action, the case underscores the growing risks for Indian sportspersons associating with unregulated digital platforms.
With illegal betting operations increasingly leveraging celebrity endorsements to build credibility, enforcement agencies appear to be stepping up both scrutiny and accountability.
This probe into 1xBet and the high-profile names attached to it may mark a turning point in India’s efforts to crack down on the shadow economy surrounding online betting.
