New Delhi | September 4, 2025 – Former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering probe linked to the illegal betting app 1xBet.
According to officials, Dhawan (39) will have his statement recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). He is believed to have been connected to the betting platform through brand endorsements, and the agency seeks clarity on his role and association.
The ED has been carrying out a wider crackdown on illegal betting and online gaming apps, many of which are accused of duping lakhs of people and causing tax evasion worth crores of rupees.
Previous developments
Last month, former cricketer Suresh Raina was questioned for over eight hours in the same case.
Representatives of Google and Meta were also summoned to understand advertising links with such apps.
On Tuesday, the ED conducted multi-state raids against another betting app, Parimatch.
The bigger picture
India has nearly 22 crore users of online betting apps, with around 11 crore regular users, according to estimates.
The industry is worth over $100 billion, growing at a rate of 30% annually, despite regulatory bans.
The Union government recently introduced legislation banning real-money online gaming, tightening oversight.
Dhawan’s summoning marks another high-profile step in ED’s crackdown on illegal betting platforms, coming at a time when authorities are under pressure to curb financial crimes in the gaming sector.
