New Delhi: Former cricketer Yuvraj Singh arrived at the ED office in Delhi today, where officials are questioning him in connection with the promotion of an online betting app (1xBet). A few days ago, Yuvraj Singh was summoned by the investigating agency to appear at its Delhi office.
Prior to Yuvraj Singh, the ED has already questioned Shikhar Dhawan, Robin Uthappa, Suresh Raina, and Harbhajan Singh. Bollywood actor Sonu Sood has also been summoned to appear on September 24.
The ED says the investigation is ongoing and all aspects are being examined. The information gathered from Yuvraj Singh’s interrogation will be incorporated into the further investigation.
The investigation into fraud and tax evasion involving crores of rupees relates to illegal betting apps.
The companies are accused of defrauding individuals and investors of crores of rupees or engaging in large-scale tax evasion.
The company claims that 1xBet is a globally recognised bookmaker with over 18 years of experience in the betting industry. Its customers can place bets on thousands of sporting events. The company’s website and app are available in 70 languages. 1xBet is a chance-based games app.
The government has banned betting apps.
All online betting apps for fantasy sports, such as Dream11, rummy, and poker, have been banned. This decision follows the Indian government’s recent passage of the Online Gaming Bill 2025. This bill completely prohibits online betting apps.
In 2017, the Supreme Court declared fantasy sports like Dream11 as games of skill. However, betting apps were never legal in India.
The government says online betting apps are causing financial and mental harm to people. Some people have become so addicted to gaming that they have lost their life savings, and in some cases, there have been reports of suicide.
There are also concerns about money laundering and national security, and the government wants to take strict measures to prevent these.
Minister Ashwini Vaishnav had said in the monsoon session of Parliament, “Online money games are creating a big problem in the society. They are increasing addiction and depleting the savings of families. It is estimated that around 45 crore people are affected by it and middle-class families have suffered losses worth Rs 20,000 crore.”
He also informed that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recognised it as a gaming disorder.