Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in connection with its ongoing investigation into illegal online betting platforms, including 1xBet. Raina is expected to appear before the agency to record his statement.
The ED’s investigation is part of a wider crackdown on illegal online betting apps that are banned in India. The agency is looking into the role of several celebrities, including cricketers and film personalities, who have allegedly promoted these platforms. The core of the investigation revolves around what the ED refers to as “surrogate advertising.” These platforms, such as 1xBet, often operate in India through “surrogate names” like “1xbat” in their advertising campaigns. These advertisements, which are run across various media, contain QR codes and web links that redirect users to the original, illegal betting websites.
According to the ED, these platforms present themselves as providers of skill-based online games. However, the agency’s forensic analysis has revealed that they use rigged algorithms, effectively turning them into gambling operations. The promotion of these platforms by public figures gives them massive visibility and legitimacy, allegedly leading to financial fraud and distress for users.
Suresh Raina is not the only celebrity to come under the ED’s scanner. Other prominent figures, including former cricketers Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh, as well as actors Sonu Sood and Urvashi Rautela, have also been questioned by the agency in connection with their endorsements of platforms like 1xBet, FairPlay, Parimatch, and Lotus365. The ED believes that these endorsements may have violated multiple Indian laws, including the Information Technology (IT) Act, the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The investigation also reportedly includes media outlets that allegedly published these surrogate advertisements for significant payo