Celebs Face ED Crackdown Over Betting Platform

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has frozen movable and immovable assets valued at Rs 7.93 crore, affecting notable figures including cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa, and actor Sonu Sood. This action stems from an investigation into the illegal offshore betting platform 1xBet and its surrogate brands. The ED's probe, initiated based on multiple state police FIRs, found that celebrities engaged in endorsement agreements for these unauthorized platforms.

These endorsements were allegedly made in exchange for payments routed through foreign entities, a method used to obscure the illicit origins of funds derived from betting activities. The ED highlighted that 1xBet operated in India without proper authorization, employing surrogate advertising across social media, online videos, and print to reach Indian users. Payments for these endorsements were disguised through layered transactions involving foreign intermediaries.

The agency has issued a strong warning, emphasizing that illegal betting and gambling platforms contribute to economic damage and facilitate money laundering. The public is advised to avoid such platforms, and celebrities and influencers promoting them face legal consequences, including potential punishment under the law.