The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth Rs 7.93 crore from several big celebrities in a major move against illegal online betting. This includes Bollywood actress Urvashi Rautela, actors Sonu Sood, Ankush Hazra, Neha Sharma, Mimi Chakraborty, and former cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa. The action comes under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
ED, Headquarters office has provisionally attached movable and immovable assets valued at Rs. 7.93 Crore belonging to Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthhapa, Urvashi Rautela, Sonu Sood, Mimi Chakraborty, Ankush Hazra and Neha Sharma under PMLA, 2002 in the case of illegal online betting… pic.twitter.com/2prhaSNcsV
— ED (@dir_ed) December 19, 2025
This all began with a deep investigation triggered by multiple FIRs from state police against operators of the illegal offshore betting platform 1xBet. The ED says 1xBet, along with its backup brands 1xBet and 1xbat Sporting Lines, was busy promoting and running illegal online betting and gambling across India.
Big names caught in the Endorsement web
Stars like Urvashi Rautela, Sonu Sood, Neha Sharma, Mimi Chakraborty, Ankush Hazra, Yuvraj Singh, and Robin Uthappa are now right in the middle of the ED’s probe.
ED found they entered endorsement deals with foreign companies to push 1xBet using these surrogate brands. They did this through social media posts, online videos, and print ads, even though the platform has no permission to work in India.
Payments for these endorsements came through foreign intermediaries and layered transactions to hide where the money really came from. The ED calls these funds Proceeds of Crime (POC) from the illegal betting business.
The same case hit the Cricketers earlier
This isn’t the first time ED has gone after stars here. Back on 6th November, they froze assets worth Rs 11.14 crore linked to cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina. That action targeted their roles in promoting the same 1xBet network via endorsements.
ED searched their properties, seized bank accounts and fixed deposits, and traced funds back to illegal bets placed by Indian users.
ED’s clear warning to everyone
ED officials say illegal betting and gambling sites bring big economic dangers and are often linked to money laundering and other crimes. They want people to stay away from these platforms and report any shady deals or ads to the police.
ED has issued a strong warning to celebrities and social media influencers who promote illegal betting or gambling, even through surrogate advertising will face action under the law.
As the investigation continues, this crackdown could reshape how stars handle endorsements and digital advertising in India.
