ED to soon seize properties of some cricketers and actors:Case related to promotion of betting app; Yuvraj Singh, Raina, Sonu Sood already been questioned

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is set to seize properties worth crores belonging to certain players and actors. This action will be taken under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the promotion of the online betting app 1xBet. An official source told news agency PTI that some celebrities used the advertisement money received from the 1xBet app to purchase various types of assets. These assets are therefore considered proceeds of crime. The ED will soon issue orders to seize these movable and immovable properties of the celebrities. Some of their properties are also located in countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Their value and assessment are currently underway. According to the rules, properties linked to crime are seized so that the accused cannot benefit from them. Once the orders are issued, they will be sent to the Adjudicating Authority established under PMLA, and after court approval, a charge sheet will be filed. In recent weeks, the ED has questioned cricketers Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa, and Shikhar Dhawan, actor Sonu Sood, actress Mimi Chakraborty (former TMC MP), and Ankush Hazra (Bengali cinema) in connection with the 1xBet app case. Some online influencers have also been questioned. When and who did ED question in the betting case Investigation of crores of fraud and tax evasion This investigation is related to illegal betting apps. The company is accused of defrauding people and investors of crores of rupees or evading tax on a large scale. The company claims that 1xBet is a globally recognized bookie that has been in the betting industry for the past 18 years. Its customers can bet on thousands of sporting events. The company’s website and app are available in 70 languages. 1xBet is a chance-based games app. Government Bans Betting Apps Fantasy sports apps like Dream-11, Rummy, Poker and other online betting apps have been banned. This decision was taken following the recently passed Online Gaming Bill 2025 by the Government of India. Under this bill, online betting apps are completely prohibited. In 2017, the Supreme Court declared fantasy games like Dream-11 as games of skill. However, betting apps were never legal in India. Online Betting Apps Causing Financial Losses The government says that online betting apps are causing mental and financial harm to people. Some people have become so addicted to gaming that they lost their life savings, and in some cases, there have even been reports of suicides. In addition, there are concerns about money laundering and national security. The government wants to take strict steps to prevent this. Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in the monsoon session of Parliament, “Online money games are creating a big problem in society. These are increasing addiction and depleting family savings. It is estimated that about 45 crore people are affected by this and middle-class families have suffered a loss of Rs 20,000 crore.” He also mentioned that the World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized this as a gaming disorder.