Yuvraj Singh Questions by ED Over 1xBet Money Laundering

New Delhi, Sep 23 (PTI) – Former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday in connection with a money laundering case tied to the online betting app 1xBet. The 43-year-old cricketer arrived at the ED's offices in central Delhi at around noon, dressed in a white T-shirt and pants, and was accompanied by his legal team for the session.

The agency recorded Singh's statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) during the interrogation. In addition to Singh, influencer Anveshi Jain also appeared before the ED for questioning in the same investigation.

Recently, the ED has interviewed several former cricketers, including Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, and Robin Uthappa. Additionally, former TMC MP and actor Mimi Chakraborty and Bengali actor Ankush Hazra have been questioned. Actor Sonu Sood is scheduled to be questioned on Wednesday.

The probe into 1xBet forms part of a broader investigation by the ED into online betting apps. These platforms are being scrutinized for allegedly defrauding people of significant sums of money and evading substantial direct and indirect taxes.

Curacao-based 1xBet claims to be a well-established name in the global betting industry, boasting 18 years of experience. Customers of 1xBet can place bets on thousands of sports events, with access to their website and app available in 70 languages.

The ED intends to continue questioning more sports figures, movie stars, online influencers, and other celebrities in the coming days. The agency is also poised to initiate asset attachment proceedings for individuals using the alleged proceeds of crime linked to the app's promotional activities. A chargesheet is expected to be filed in court following the investigation.

One focus of the ED's inquiries involves discovering how celebrities were approached by the betting company for endorsements, identifying the contact person(s) in India, understanding the payment methods (whether through hawala or banking), and pinning down the payment location (domestic or international).

While obtaining the cricketers' and actors' statements, the agency is probing their awareness regarding the illegality of online betting and gaming in India. The ED has also requested them to provide copies of their contracts and all relevant communications and documentation associated with 1xBet.

The goal is to identify whether the money received by these celebrities constitutes "proceeds of crime" under the PMLA. This comes on the heels of new legislation enacted by the Indian government, banning real money online gaming in the country.

The ED decided on "focused strategies" during a recent high-level meeting in Jammu and Kashmir to tackle financial crimes linked to illegal betting and gaming sectors.

Before the government's ban, market estimates had pegged the number of Indian users on various online betting apps at around 22 crores, with roughly half being regular users. The online betting app market in India was valued at over USD 100 billion and was reportedly growing at an annual rate of 30%.

From 2022 to June 2025, the government has issued 1,524 orders to block online betting and gambling platforms.

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