Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan reportedly faced several hours of questioning by the ED officials after arriving at the central agency's office at around 11 am, officials said on Thursday
Former cricketer Shikhar Dhawan arrives at ED office in New Delhi. Pic/PTI
Former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday in connection with an alleged money laundering case involving an “illegal” gaming app that he had promoted in advertisements, an official said, reported the IANS.
The former Team India opener was summoned by the agency to clarify details regarding his advertising contract with the app named 1xBet, the official stated.
Dhawan reportedly faced several hours of questioning after arriving at the ED office at around 11 am.
He is not the only sports personality under scrutiny. Former cricketer Suresh Raina was also recently interrogated by the ED in relation to the same case.
Dhawan, who owns the South Delhi Superstarz team in the Delhi Premier League, announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in August last year, concluding a career that spanned over a decade. He represented India in 34 Tests, 167 ODIs, and 68 T20Is, amassing 2,315, 6,793, and 1,579 runs respectively across the three formats.
According to its Indian website, 1xBet offers various sports betting options to its registered users, including games like Aviator, cricket betting, and online casino slots. It also allows betting via Telegram payments on sports such as football, basketball, tennis, and e-sports, according to the PTI.
Headquartered in Cyprus, 1xBet is considered one of the world’s largest online casinos and has previously sponsored football clubs in Spain and France. However, following investigations into financial irregularities, the company was compelled to withdraw its services from the UK, US, Russia, Spain, and France, as per the PTI.
The controversy surrounding Dhawan’s association with an alleged illegal app comes shortly after last year’s scandal involving the Mahadev Satta App, which had signed on multiple Bollywood celebrities.
The ED initiated its investigation into the Mahadev app after one of its founders hosted an extravagant reception in the UAE. This probe later uncovered a Rs 5,000 crore hawala racket with links to UAE and Pakistan.
In response to rising concerns over online gambling, the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, was passed in Parliament last month. The bill seeks to regulate the online gaming and e-sports industry, while strictly prohibiting any online games involving money.
According to official data, 1,524 orders banning gambling platforms were issued between 2022 and June 2025.
(with IANS inputs)
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