Online Gambling

ED attaches ₹11 cr assets of Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan in betting case

The ED has alleged that both players "knowingly" entered endorsement agreements with foreign entities to promote an illegal betting platform, 1xBet, and its associated platforms

SC to hear PIL seeking ban on online gambling masquerading as e-sports

The Supreme Court agreed to hear on Friday a PIL filed by the Centre for Accountability and Systemic Change (CASC) seeking directions to the Centre to prohibit online gambling and betting platforms that allegedly operate under the guise of social and e-sports games. A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran took note of the submissions of lawyer Virag Gupta, appearing for the CASC, on Thursday and agreed to hear the PIL on October 17. The plea has sought a direction to union ministries of Electronics and Information Technology, Information and Broadcasting, Finance and Youth Affairs and Sports to do a harmonious interpretation of provisions of Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 and laws made by State Legislatures, to prohibit online gambling and betting games operating in the guise of social and e-sports games. The petition, filed on October 13 through advocates Virag Gupta and Rupali Panwar, names six respondents, including four union

Online betting case: Urvashi Rautela appears before ED in PMLA case

Actor and model Urvashi Rautela on Tuesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case linked to an online betting and gaming platform named 1xbet, official sources said. The 31-year-old is the India ambassador of the platform, registered in the Caribbean island of Curacao. The federal probe agency has begun recording her statement under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said. The ED has questioned cricketers such as Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa and Shikhar Dhawan apart from actors Sonu Sood, Mimi Chakraborty (a former TMC MP) and Ankush Hazra (Bengali cinema) as part of this investigation over the last few weeks. Some online influencers have also been questioned. The agency is also expected to attach assets worth crores of rupees of some sportspersons and actors under the anti-money laundering law as part of the probe. The investigation into the case related to the portal 1xBet found that som

ED questions cricketer Yuvraj Singh for over 7 hours in betting app case

Former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh on Tuesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in a money laundering case linked to an online betting app named 1xBet, officials said. Singh (43), wearing a white T-shirt and pant, reached the agency's office in central Delhi around 12 noon accompanied by his legal team. The investigating officer of the case questioned the all-rounder and left-hand batter and recorded his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the officials said. An influencer named Anveshi Jain also appeared before the ED for questioning in the same case. The federal probe agency has questioned former cricketers Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan and Robin Uthappa apart from former TMC MP and actor Mimi Chakraborty and Bengali actor Ankush Hazra over the last few weeks as part of this investigation. Actor Sonu Sood has been summoned for Wednesday by the ED in the same case. The investigation into the operations of the 1xBet betti

Dream11 pivots to free-to-play, banks on ads and sponsorship revenue

Dream11 moves to a free-to-play model following a gaming ban, focusing on ads and sponsorships with 10 million daily users and partnerships with brands like Swiggy and Tata Neu

Cricketer Robin Uthappa appears before ED in online betting app case

Former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday for questioning in a money laundering case linked to an online betting app, officials said. Uthappa (39) reached the agency's office here around 11 am. The ED will question him and record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a case linked to a platform named 1xBet, the officials said. The federal probe agency has questioned former cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan apart from former TMC MP and actor Mimi Chakraborty and Bengali actor Ankush Hazra over the last few weeks as part of this investigation. Former cricketer Yuvraj Singh and actor Sonu Sood have been summoned for Tuesday and Wednesday respectively by the ED in the same case. The probe pertains to the operations of the 1xBet betting app as part of the ED's wider probe against such platforms on allegations of duping numerous people and investors worth crores of rupees and reportedly evadin

Bans won't kill gambling, money gaming will just shift to the Dark Web

As attempts to ban card games in Stalinist Russia show, they simply move underground - or, in the case of online gaming, to the Dark Web

India's gaming ban vs the world: How other nations regulate online gambling

As India bans real-money gaming, nations from Britain to China show contrasting approaches of regulation, restrictions or outright prohibition

India's online gaming ban may fuel offshore betting, money laundering

With fantasy sports, putting real money behind players' on-field performance has been elevated to a game of skill, at least in the eye of the law

Casual gaming market set to gain from govt's ban on RMG platforms

The government's blanket ban on real money gaming platforms may shift demand towards casual, midcore and AAA titles that rely on in-app purchases and advertising for growth

Nazara Tech sheds ₹2,800 crore in M-cap despite no hit from RMG bill

Nazara Tech has no direct exposure to real money gaming but holds a 46.07 per cent stake in Moonshine Technologies, the parent of PokerBaazi

Govt should have considered forward-looking options for money games

Predictably, the move has sent the online gaming industry into a tizzy. As reports suggest, there are thousands of high-skill jobs at stake

Online Gaming Bill: Lok Sabha passes legislation to ban online money games

The Bill was passed by a voice vote after brief remarks by Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, amid protests from Opposition lawmakers

Real money gaming: 450 mn persons lose ₹20,000 crore annually, says govt

The government estimates that around 45 crore people lose close to Rs 20,000 crore every year in online real money gaming, an official source said on Wednesday. According to the source, the government has realised that online real money gaming is a major problem for society and chose to forego revenue loss in preference to people's welfare. "There is a rough estimate that 45 crore people lose money every year. The total impact of the loss is estimated to be tentatively around Rs 20,000 crore," the source added. The government has tabled "Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025" in the Lok Sabha, which proposes to promote eSports and online social gaming while banning money gaming in any form. "Online gaming involving money has become a major problem for society. Every Parliamentarian has raised concerns about its ill effects. Between revenue from one-third of the industry segment and society welfare, the government has chosen society welfare," the source said. Accordin

Explainer: Online real money games and why govt is seeking to ban them

If passed, the online gaming bill could shut down the RMG industry, which employs 200,000 people and contributes ₹20,000 crore in GST annually

Govt set to log out real-money games; Bill to be tabled on Wednesday

The draft bill, however, calls for promoting e-sports and online social games, according to a source

ED raids Haryana firm linked to illegal betting, freezes ₹284 crore assets

ED has frozen ₹284 crore worth of deposits and shares of Haryana-based Probo Media Technologies in a money laundering probe linked to illegal online betting and gambling through its app and website

When the game plays you: Addiction to sports gambling on rise in India

Few seek help for this addiction. Worse still, many are unaware that it is an addiction requiring professional treatment

Betting can never be a game of skill, Centre tells Supreme Court

Centre argues in SC that all betting, even on games of skill, qualifies as gambling and must attract 28 per cent GST under the law, regardless of game classification

Online gaming firm Zupee turns profitable in FY24, revenue up 35%

This marks a recovery from the Rs 36 crore loss the company posted the previous year (FY23)