The Enforcement Directorate has attached assets worth Rs 11.14 crore of ex-cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan in the 1xBet illegal betting case. ED alleges both stars endorsed the platform for foreign payments linked to money laundering.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday said it has attached assets worth Rs 11.14 crore belonging to former Indian cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan in connection with the 1xBet money laundering case.
1xBet is a well-known international online betting platform that has been operating for 18 years. The ED is currently investigating the company and its linked entities as part of a larger probe into alleged fraud and tax evasion involving several crores of rupees.
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According to the Enforcement Directorate,
“the headquarters office provisionally attached movable and immovable properties of Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.”
The ED said that the attached properties include
“mutual fund investments valued at Rs 6.64 crore held in Raina’s name and an immovable property valued at Rs 4.5 crore in Dhawan’s name.”
The agency added that it carried out searches at four payment gateways and
“a laundering trail of Rs 1,000 crore was uncovered.”
As per the findings,
“1xBet and its surrogate brand 1xBat, 1xBat Sporting Lines were engaged in promoting and facilitating illegal online betting and gambling operations across India.”
The ED alleged that both Raina and Dhawan
“knowingly entered into endorsement agreements with foreign entities for the promotion of 1xBet through its surrogates.”
These endorsement deals, the agency said, were made
“in return for payments routed through foreign entities to conceal the illicit origin of the funds, which are linked to proceeds of crime generated from illegal betting activities.”
The Enforcement Directorate said that
“1xBet operated in India without authorisation and used surrogate branding and advertisements to target Indian users through social media, online videos, and print media.”
It further stated that
“payments for endorsements were structured through layered transactions using foreign intermediaries to disguise the illegal source of funds.”
The agency revealed that
“1xBet was facilitating betting and gambling for Indian users by collecting money through multiple ‘mule accounts’.”
It said that
“more than 6,000 such accounts were used for deposits.”
The ED added that
“amounts collected from users in these accounts were routed through multiple payment gateways to disguise their origin.”
According to the ED,
“merchants were onboarded on these gateways without any KYC verification.”
It added that
“on verification of profile of these merchants, it was found that the declared business activities by the entities did not match their transaction patterns, indicating laundering of funds exceeding Rs 1,000 crore.”
Based on these findings, searches were conducted, “resulting in seizure of incriminating evidence,” the agency said.
It added,
“The ED further said over 60 bank accounts linked to these payment gateways and an amount of over Rs 4 crore have been frozen so far. Further investigation is in progress,”
Alongside its legal actions, the Enforcement Directorate issued a public advisory, asking people to be alert and avoid being part of any online betting or gambling operations.
The agency stated,
“illegal betting and gambling not only cause economic harm but also facilitate money laundering and financing of unlawful activities.”
It further urged citizens to
“report any suspicious transactions or advertisements promoting such platforms.”
The ED also released specific advice for the public:
- Do not open, share, or allow your personal or business bank accounts, debit cards, UPI IDs, or payment wallets to be used by others for receiving or transferring funds of unknown origin.
- Do not click on advertisements or links on social media promising high returns, betting offers, or ‘passive income’ schemes. Such links often lead to illegal gambling sites or financial fraud.
- Avoid downloading mobile applications or joining Telegram/WhatsApp channels that promote online betting or gambling.
- Any person knowingly assisting or allowing their account to be used for such activities may be prosecuted under the PMLA, which provides for imprisonment up to seven years and attachment of assets derived from such illegal transactions.
- If you suspect that your account has been misused, immediately inform your bank and local police authorities.
This case marks a major step in the ED’s larger investigation against foreign-based betting companies that operate illegally in India through online platforms and surrogate branding.
The agency has stressed that it will continue its probe to uncover the full extent of the money laundering network linked to 1xBet and its associated brands.
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