Illegal Betting Apps: ED Summons Bollywood Stars & Cricketers In ₹8.3 Lakh Cr Case

Illegal online betting apps have exploded across India, creating a shadow economy worth over ₹8.3 lakh crore and growing at 30% annually. Now, the Enforcement Directorate is cracking down, summoning celebrities like Mimi Chakraborty, Urvashi Rautela, Vijay Devarakonda, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, and even cricketers like Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan. The ED is probing whether these stars knowingly promoted illegal betting apps or were paid from laundered proceeds of crime. The government has introduced the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 to close loopholes exploited by such apps, which often disguise themselves as “skill-based” platforms and operate from abroad. As ED intensifies its probe, the spotlight is now on celebrities, their endorsements, and the money trail behind India’s betting boom.