1xBet betting case: ED begins questioning cricketer Shikhar Dhawan

ED had summoned Dhawan at ED headquarters at 11 am on Thursday to record his statement in the case to find out his alleged links to the app through promotions and endorsements.

Dhawan's questioning began soon after he arrived at the ED headquarters and was deposed before the investigators. Earlier, the federal agency had also questioned former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina.

The broader investigation targets various celebrities and influencers who may have promoted these platforms, which are suspected of alleged tax evasion and duping investors, and has also drawn in other prominent figures, including actors and cricketers.

The case involves 1xBet, an alleged illegal online betting platform operating in India, suspected of money laundering, tax evasion, and rigging its algorithms.

The ED is looking into celebrities who endorsed these apps, including Dhawan and Raina, to clarify their financial transactions and awareness of the platforms' activities.

This investigation is one of several probing against illegal betting platforms. Last month, ED had also conducted multi-state searches in connection with a similar investigation against an online betting app named Parimatch.

The agency is probing multiple such cases involving illegal betting apps that are alleged to have duped numerous people and investors worth crores of rupees or have evaded a huge amount of taxes.

Market research agencies and investigative bodies estimate that nearly 22 crore Indians use different online betting applications, with around half of them (approximately 11 crore) being frequent users. Experts assess the value of India's online betting market at over USD 100 billion, noting an annual growth rate of 30 per cent.

Additionally, the government informed Parliament that between 2022 and June 2025, it had issued 1,524 directives to block online betting and gambling platforms. (ANI)