ED Summons Suresh Raina Over Alleged Ties To Betting Platform; ₹27,000 Crore Tax Evasion Suspected

Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an investigation into illegal betting platforms. He is expected to appear before ED officials at the agency's Delhi headquarters on Wednesday morning.

According to a report in The Indian Express, Raina has been asked to depose before the agency on August 13 in a case related to an app named 1xBet. "Once he deposes, ED is expected to record his statements under the PMLA," the source said.

The ED suspects that Raina may have links to the app through certain endorsements, and officials are aiming to clarify these connections during questioning. A Hindustan Times report highlighted that such betting platforms have frequently changed names over the years and have often been promoted by celebrities and social media influencers. One official told the publication, "These platforms are in violation of multiple laws and directions issued by the Indian government. It is estimated that around 22 crore (220 million) Indians use various betting apps, with 11 crore (110 million) being regular users."

In the first three months of 2025 alone, over 1.6 billion visits were recorded on illegal betting websites and apps. The online betting market in India is suspected to be worth around $100 million, with such platforms allegedly evading taxes of approximately ₹27,000 crore annually.

The report also stated that on Tuesday, an ED probe team carried out search operations at 15 locations across Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Madurai, and Surat. These raids were aimed at gathering more details about a network linked to a betting app called 'Parimatch'. This investigation, launched under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), stems from a case registered by the Cyber Police Station in Mumbai in 2024.