Harbhajan, Yuvraj Singh Questioned Over Ads Promoting Illegal Betting Apps | Read

The Enforcement Directorate has expanded its investigation into illegal online betting apps to include endorsements by cricketers Harbhajan Singh and Suresh Raina and actor Urvashi Rautela.

Sources told NDTV Profit these and other celebrities had been questioned as part of an ongoing investigation into promotion of banned platforms like 1xBet. These platforms, they said, were using 'surrogate names', such as 1xbat, in ad campaigns that include web links (for online material) and QR codes to redirect users to the original (and illegal) betting platform in blatant violation of current laws.

The ED said these platforms presented themselves as hosting skill-based games but used rigged algorithms that classify them as 'gambling operations' under existing Indian laws.