ED Questions Harbhajan Singh, Urvashi Rautela Over Ads Promoting Illegal Betting Apps

The Enforcement Directorate has reportedly expanded its investigation into illegal online betting platforms, now shifting focus to endorsements made by former cricketers and bollywood actors.

An NDTV report said that former cricketers Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina as well as bollywood actors Sonu Sood and Urvashi Rautela have been questioned as part of an ongoing probe into promotional links with banned betting platforms including 1xBet, FairPlay, Parimatch and Lotus365.

These platforms were using “surrogate” names like 1xbat in advertising campaigns that include web links and QR codes to redirect users to the original (and illegal) betting platform in violation of the current laws, the report added.

While the ED has issued notices to some celebrities linked to these endorsements, others may get these notices soon.

These platforms promote themselves as skill-based games but their outcomes are luck-based, occurring with rigged algorithms that classify them as gambling operations under the law, ED officials told NDTV.

Furthermore, sites like 1xBet have gained wide visibility with aggressive promotions by partnering with celebrities and influencers even after government bans.

ED’s investigation has also brought in media organisations in its radar those who are alleged to have published surrogate advertisements in return for significant payouts. The watchdog has tracked more than INR 50 Cr paid to these media outlets and advertising firms and further reviewing transactions related to such endorsements.

Petition Raise Concerns Over Celebs Promoting Betting Platforms

As clear guidelines for the online gaming industry are yet not in place, the Supreme Court is also struggling in dealing with cases related to betting and gaming platforms. Last month, seeking regulation of all online and offline betting apps.

A bench of justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh issued the notice to the Centre on a plea filed by K A Paul, who argued that many children had committed suicide after getting involved in online betting and gambling through apps.

The petitioner alleged that these online apps are being promoted by several influencers, actors and cricketers that draw children to betting. He also claimed that an FIR was also lodged in Telangana against the influencers as the issue violated fundamental rights.

The petitioner also alleged that former cricketers were promoting these apps leaving an impression on youngsters.

In a response, the bench said it can’t do much as these were aberrations of society and enactment of law cannot stop people indulging in betting voluntarily.

The government sought to revise online gaming regulations two years ago, but it hasn’t come into fruition yet, leaving the industry in uncertainty.

State Governments Actions Against Betting

While the country is awaiting the Centre’s stance on online gaming amid the dilemma over luck-based and skill-based gaming, the state governments are bringing their own rules and regulations to deal with these platforms.

After Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, Haryana is the latest one to make life difficult for online gaming and real money gaming startups in India.

Last month, keeping of common gambling houses, betting in sports or elections, match fixing or spot fixing in sports.

More recently, the Madras High Court upheld the .

A division bench comprising Justices SM Subramaniam and K Rajasekar dismissed all the writ petitions filed by a host of RMG companies arguing that only the Centre can regulate online games under the IT Act.

The bench ruled that the state is within its rights to legislate on matters of public health and trade within its borders. This includes regulating games of skill when played for money.

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