The Enforcement Directorate (ED) said it has attached assets worth ₹18.10 crore in an ongoing money laundering investigation linked to the alleged illegal online betting platform 1xBet. The action forms part of a wider probe into the platform’s operations in India and its financial transactions under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
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Allegations of Unauthorised Operations in India
According to the ED, 1xBet was functioning in India without requisite authorisation and was allegedly facilitating online betting and gambling activities through a network of mirror websites. Investigators claim the platform employed complex financial arrangements to collect funds from users while masking the identities of the ultimate beneficiaries.
The agency stated that the platform used dynamically generated Unified Payments Interface (UPI) IDs connected to mule bank accounts. These mechanisms allegedly enabled the layering and routing of funds in a manner designed to conceal the source and ownership of the proceeds, which the ED has classified as “Proceeds of Crime” under the PMLA framework.
Advertisement Tie-Ups Under Scrutiny
The investigation has also examined promotional arrangements entered into by Parthtech Developers LLP, the company behind high-traffic cricket information platforms CREX and OneCricket. The ED alleged that Parthtech Developers LLP executed structured advertisement agreements with Bwise Media AG, a Switzerland-based entity, for the promotion of betting platforms including 1xBet.
Statements recorded under Section 50 of the PMLA indicate that advertisements for 1xBet were directly booked and geo-targeted on the CREX platform. These promotions were allegedly delivered through Parthtech’s in-house advertisement server, known as “Parth Adex.”
Cumulative Attachments in the Case
With the latest attachment, the total value of assets provisionally attached in the 1xBet-related probe now stands at approximately ₹7.23 crore, according to the ED’s statement. The agency has been progressively attaching properties and financial holdings as part of its investigation into alleged money laundering linked to betting endorsements and promotional activities.
In December 2025, the ED had provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth ₹7.93 crore belonging to several public figures, including former cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa, as well as actors Urvashi Rautela, Sonu Sood, Mimi Chakraborty, Ankush Hazra, and Neha Sharma.
The agency had alleged that these individuals entered into endorsement agreements with overseas entities to promote 1xBet and its surrogate platforms. Payments for such endorsements were allegedly routed through foreign channels, which investigators believe were structured to obscure the origin of the funds.
Earlier, assets worth ₹11.14 crore linked to former cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina were also attached in connection with the same case.
Ongoing Investigation
The ED has maintained that the probe is continuing and further attachments or legal proceedings may follow based on the findings. The case highlights increasing regulatory scrutiny over online betting platforms and the role of advertising intermediaries and celebrity endorsements in promoting such services within India.
No public response from the individuals named or the companies involved was immediately available at the time of reporting.
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