In New Delhi, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is poised to seize assets valued in crores belonging to certain sportspersons and actors, based on an investigation linked to an online betting and gaming platform. Official sources informed PTI that a probe into the platform ‘1xBet’ has revealed that some of these celebrities used their endorsement fees to acquire various assets that are considered ‘proceeds of crime’ under anti-money laundering laws. The agency is expected to issue a provisional attachment order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to secure these movable and immovable properties, which include some located abroad in countries such as the UAE.
Prior to the government-imposed ban, market analysis firms estimated that around 22 crore Indian users engaged with various online betting apps, with half of them being regular users. Currently, the quantification and valuation of these assets are in progress. Properties obtained or developed from funds derived from money laundering are classified as proceeds of crime and are subject to attachment to prevent those involved from benefiting from their unlawful actions. Following the attachment order, it will be forwarded to the Adjudicating Authority under the PMLA for confirmation, and once approved, a chargesheet will be submitted in a designated court for asset confiscation.
Recently, the ED has interrogated cricketers such as Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa, and Shikhar Dhawan, alongside actors Sonu Sood, Mimi Chakraborty (a former TMC MP), and Ankush Hazra from Bengali cinema as part of the investigation. Several online influencers have also been questioned. The agency has recorded the statements of these celebrities under Section 50 of the PMLA, with many providing transaction details that allegedly show how they received their endorsement fees from the online platform. Additional statements from more sportspersons and actors are yet to be recorded. Actor Urvashi Rautela, identified as the ‘India ambassador for 1xBet’, was summoned but did not appear due to being abroad.
1xBet, registered in Curacao, claims to be an internationally recognized bookmaker with 18 years in the betting industry, offering customers the ability to bet on thousands of sporting events via its website and app, which are available in 70 languages. 1xBet has not responded to PTI’s request for comment regarding the ED investigation. Recently, the Union government enacted legislation banning real money online gaming in India.