Investigation Agency Summons Suresh Raina in Illicit Betting Application Scandal - Sources
Suresh Raina, the former India cricketer, was questioned by India's Enforcement Directorate (ED) on August 13, 2025, in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to the illegal online betting app 1xBet.
The ED suspects Raina's involvement through his endorsements of the app, where he is reportedly a brand ambassador. The agency's focus is on probing Raina's role in promoting 1xBet and whether he promoted other similar platforms, any contracts or monetary transactions between him and 1xBet or related apps like 1xBat, including how and through which accounts or companies payments were made.
The ED is also investigating Raina's knowledge of the legal status of these platforms, which operate as gambling sites and are illegal under Indian law. The agency is also looking into interactions with the app's operators and whether promotions occurred in states where online betting is banned.
This action follows previous ED seizures of assets worth over Rs 337 crore linked to illegal betting related to IPL cricket matches in 2024. The ED is conducting the investigation into the alleged illegal betting app-linked money laundering case as part of a broader crackdown on illegal betting apps that have allegedly defrauded investors and evaded significant tax revenues in India (estimated losses around Rs 27,000 crore annually) while attracting hundreds of millions of users.
The ED investigation is focused on illegal betting apps, and multiple cases are being probed. The case being investigated by the ED is related to money laundering. While the questioning of Suresh Raina is ongoing, no formal charges have been publicly announced yet.
It is also understood that MS Dhoni, another prominent cricket personality, has been linked to the app through certain endorsements. However, the ED is expected to understand Dhoni's links with the betting app during the questioning.
Some of these illegal betting apps are suspected of evading a huge amount of taxes and are alleged to have duped numerous people and investors worth crores of rupees. The ED officials will record Raina's statements under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
This investigation centres on Raina’s endorsement ties to 1xBet and whether he knowingly promoted an illegal gambling platform, contributing to alleged money laundering through the app’s operations. As the investigation unfolds, more details are expected to emerge.
In light of the ongoing investigation, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is set to delve into Suresh Raina's activity as a brand ambassador for the sports betting app 1xBet, alongside potential endorsements with similar platforms, to analyze any contracts, monetary transactions, and the means of payments. The ED is also examining Raina's knowledge of the app's legal status and potential promotions in states where online betting is prohibited. This examination is part of the broader crackdown on illegal betting apps, which operate as gambling sites and are under scrutiny for tax evasion, fraud, and money laundering.
