Hyderabad: Actor Rana Daggubati appeared before Telangana's Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Saturday, November 15, 2025, in connection with a case involving the alleged promotion of an online betting app. The Telangana government formed the SIT, under the supervision of the Additional Director General of Police, CID, to investigate illegal betting activities and online betting app cases.
The case originated from a First Information Report (FIR) filed earlier in the year against 25 celebrities and influencers, including Rana Daggubati, for allegedly promoting illegal betting and gambling applications. The FIR was registered following a complaint by a businessman, who highlighted a rise in celebrity endorsements of gambling platforms violating the Public Gambling Act of 1867.
Under the Telangana Gaming Act of 2017, all forms of online betting are prohibited. Cases were registered against illegal betting apps and promoters in March of this year, after complaints arose that the apps were luring youth and the general public with promises of easy money, eventually leading to financial and psychological distress, and in some cases, even suicides. The managements of the illegal betting apps, several film actors, and numerous social media influencers have been booked for allegedly promoting online betting apps through social media platforms under various provisions of the Telangana State Gaming Act, 2017, the BNS, and the IT Act.
Rana Daggubati is among the most prominent figures questioned so far in the investigation. After being questioned by the SIT, Rana told reporters that he is committed to helping authorities communicate the right message about online gaming and betting apps. He stated that they are going to use the right ways to communicate the right message about gaming and gaming apps and that he is there to do whatever is needed to help spread the message.
According to sources, investigators questioned Rana about the promotional activities he undertook for the betting applications. Rana said that his legal team had examined all related documents before he signed the deal. He added that he shared all relevant material with CID officials during the inquiry.
The accused in the case have been charged under provisions of the TS Gaming Act and the Information Technology Act, including Section 66(D) related to cheating and identity theft. The probe is examining financial deals, promotional agreements, and potential violations by the celebrities involved. A parallel investigation is being conducted by the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act into financial transactions and promotional campaigns allegedly linked to illegal betting networks.
