Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina is scheduled to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in New Delhi on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, for questioning in connection with an alleged illegal betting app-linked money laundering case. The ED is investigating Raina's potential links to the promotion of the online betting app 1xBet. The probe agency is expected to record his statements under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Raina, a former star player for the Indian national team and Chennai Super Kings, is among several celebrities being questioned in this wide-ranging probe. The ED has been following various leads in multiple cities, investigating online platforms suspected of deceiving users and laundering money. The agency has also summoned officials from Google and Meta to assist in their investigation into betting apps that utilize various platforms for surrogate advertisements.
The ED's investigation has revealed that many betting platforms that have been banned over the years continue to operate by simply changing their names. These platforms are often promoted by celebrities and social media influencers. According to an ED officer, approximately 220 million Indian users are currently engaged on various betting apps, with 110 million being regular users. In the first three months of 2025 alone, over 1.6 billion visits were recorded on illegal betting websites or apps, suggesting a massive online betting market in India.
The financial crime investigation agency is also engaging with media houses that may have received payments for advertisements from these platforms. Earlier this week, actor Rana Daggubati appeared before the ED in Hyderabad in connection to the same case. The agency had previously summoned actors Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverakonda, and Lakshmi Manchu in July.
The ED's focus is on understanding Raina's connections to the 1xBet app and his role, if any, in its promotion. The agency is scrutinizing multiple cases involving illegal betting apps that have allegedly defrauded numerous people and investors, potentially evading significant amounts of taxes.
