The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has stepped up its anti-illegal gambling campaign by seizing assets to the tune of Rs 7.93 crore that has been associated with such celebrities as cricketer Yuvraj Singh, actor Sonu Sood, and Mimi Chakraborty among others. This measure is aimed at a promotion of the offshore betting site 1xBet which is allegedly feeding a 1,000 crore money-laundering scheme in India. Preliminary sanctions under the Prevention of Money laundering Act (PMLA) are an ambitious blow against influential advertisements of unlicensed applications.
The 1xBet Money Trail
Based in Curaacao, 1xBet operated in India through surrogate brands 1xBat and 1xBat Sporting Lines. It was triggered by FIRs of state police, which led to an ED probe that resulted in a network of more than 6,000 mule accounts laundering betting proceeds in layers of foreign transactions. Using social media, videos and print advertisements, celebrities made purported deals on endorsement with the amount being disguised as being of legitimate origin and attracted Indian users.
Those who investigated took hours to grill stars and found out how these promotions bypassed regulations even though India had recently banned real-money gaming. The agency estimates 22 crore Indians use such apps prior to the ban and half of them are regulars, thus creating colossal economic losses through laundering and crime.
Assets Under the Hammer
The attachment order of ED was also very difficult on certain figures. In the company YWC Health and Wellness Pvt Ltd, owned by Yuvraj Singh, the assets in the company were lost to the tune of Rs 2.5 crore. Sonu Sood was detained with seizure of 1 crore and Robin Uthappa was detained with 8.26 lakh. Former TMC MP and actor Mimi Chakraborty was attached with Rs 59 lakh; Bengali cinema star Ankush Hazra 47.2 lakh, model Neha Sharma 1.26 crore and mother of Urvashi Rautela (Meera Rautela) 2.02 crore.
These comprise bank balances, immovable and movables as crime proceeds. In the same investigation, ED confiscated the funds of cricketer Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina in early October 2025, for the first time indicating an extension of the net.
| Celebrity/Entity | Attached Amount (Rs) | Critical Facts newindianexpress+1. |
| Yuvraj Singh (YWC Pvt Ltd) | 2.5 crore | Company-linked properties |
| Sonu Sood | 1 crore | Movable/immovable assets |
| Meera Rautela (mother of Urvashi) | 2.02 crore | Family holdings |
| Neha Sharma | 1.26 crore | Endorsement proceeds |
| Mimi Chakraborty | 59 lakh | Actor-politician assets |
| Ankush Hazra | 47.2 lakh | Bengali film star |
| Robin Uthappa | 8.26 lakh | Cricketer balances |
Celeb Reactions and Fallout
The listed individuals have so far not made a public statement, although there are indications that they may collaborate when it comes to summons. A hero of the world cup, Yuvraj, and a philanthropist athlete Sonu Sood, who became famous with his help in the pandemic, now meet reputational blows in the context of their after-career activities. The political history of Mimi Chakraborty is also interesting and the family relationship of Urvashi Rautela further increases Bollywood skepticism.
ED issued a warning to influencers: making bets through surrogate promotions of betting apps will be punishable by laws on PMLA, and anyone finding suspicious advertisements should report them. This is not the first such case such as Fairplay (Rs 307 crore attached) and investigations against Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati.
Greater Implication to India.
The betting crackdown in India can be seen as a response to increased anxiety about the use of apps that drain the pockets of young people and make it possible to fund terror. Having 110 million+ users before being banned, exchanges such as 1xBet used lax regulation through crypto, and hawala. The actions of ED discourage star power to grease illegal activities, which is driven by ethical recommendations.
The deeper the probe the more attachments they are going to be, challenging the accountability of celebrities. This epic highlights how glamour conceals the dark side of gambling and it is time to reckon in entertainment and sports.
