ED Summons Shikhar Dhawan in 1xBet Money Laundering Probe; Statement to Be Recorded Under PMLA
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned cricketer Shikhar Dhawan for questioning in a money laundering investigation linked to alleged promotions for the online betting platform 1xBet, officials said on Thursday. The 39-year-old former India opener is understood to have been associated with the app via certain endorsements, and has been asked to join the probe to clarify his role in promotional activities, according to people familiar with the matter. His statement will be recorded under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as part of the ongoing investigation.
Dhawan arrived at the ED’s Delhi office earlier in the day, where the agency will seek details on how endorsements were entered into, payment flows, and tax treatment, sources indicated. The summons comes amid a wider federal crackdown on illegal betting platforms alleged to have duped users of crores of rupees and evaded taxes. Over the past year, multiple Bollywood and South Indian film personalities and cricketers have been questioned for purportedly promoting such apps, including Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Urvashi Rautela, Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati and Prakash Raj. Raina was questioned last month, while several celebrities recorded statements with the agency last June.
The government has recently moved to tighten the legal framework against real-money online gaming, introducing a ban through new legislation. Investigators say many illegal platforms operate through complex layering—using payment gateways and fintech intermediaries to mask transactions as legitimate e-commerce—making enforcement challenging. On Wednesday night, the ED alleged that online betting websites “operated” by arrested Karnataka Congress MLA K.C. Veerendra mobilised more than Rs 2,000 crore in a short span. The agency claims Veerendra and associates in Dubai ran several gaming sites, routing funds through multiple gateways to conceal the source and nature of proceeds. Veerendra, arrested late last month from Sikkim where he was reportedly exploring a casino lease, remains in ED custody.
The ED’s questionnaire to Dhawan is expected to focus on the nature of brand tie-ups, contractual obligations, platform due diligence, Know Your Customer (KYC) norms, and whether any proceeds could be traced to accounts connected to alleged illegal gaming networks. While endorsement does not by itself imply wrongdoing, investigators typically examine whether public figures exercised adequate checks before associating with entities that may not comply with Indian law. Depending on Dhawan’s deposition and corroborating financial trails, the agency could issue further summons or expand the scope of inquiry to advertising and influencer intermediaries.
The 1xBet platform, flagged by authorities in earlier advisories, has been under scrutiny for offering betting services in contravention of local regulations. Enforcement agencies contend that the broader ecosystem around such apps—including affiliate marketing, influencer promotion, and cross-border payment rails—has enabled scale and reach, complicating consumer protection and tax compliance. Compliance professionals say the latest actions signal that endorsers may face tougher questions on reputational risk and legal exposure, especially where alleged proceeds of crime and cross-border flows are involved.
As the investigation unfolds, more depositions are likely from industry intermediaries, including talent agencies and media-buying firms, to trace the financial pipeline. The ED’s recent assertions in the Veerendra case that funds were layered to appear as e-commerce revenues suggest a sharper focus on back-end architecture and gateways supporting high-velocity microtransactions. For sports and entertainment personalities, legal advisors have urged tighter contract vetting, enhanced due diligence, and clear indemnities when engaging with high-risk categories such as gaming, crypto-linked products, and offshore platforms.
