Hyderabad: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against 29 celebrities, including popular actors Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, and Prakash Raj, in connection with the alleged promotion of illegal betting apps, according to a report by Hindustan Times.
The celebrities named are reportedly under investigation for endorsing online betting platforms such as Fairplay, Lotus365, JeetWin, DafaBet, and others. The case stems from five FIRs registered earlier this year by the Hyderabad and Cyberabad police against illegal betting apps. The ED is probing the money trail to ascertain whether proceeds of crime are involved, and if the celebrities benefited from those.
According to the report, these actors, influencers, and YouTubers promoted the betting apps through social media platforms, YouTube, and pop-up ads. The endorsements allegedly led to middle-class families suffering heavy financial losses after falling into the trap of online gambling.
The ECIR has been filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the Telangana Gaming Act, the Public Gambling Act, and the Information Technology Act. The ED is expected to question the celebrities involved and record their statements as part of the investigation.
Among the celebrities named, Vijay Deverakonda clarified that he had promoted a skill-based gaming platform, A23, in the past, and only in states where it is permitted by law. Rana Daggubati stated that he had endorsed a skill-based app several years ago, and that legal due diligence had been done at the time. Actor Prakash Raj admitted to promoting Junglee Rummy in 2016 but later withdrew from it, saying he found it ethically wrong.
The report noted that despite the use of disclaimers by these platforms, many users mistook them for legal games and ended up losing substantial sums of money. The ED’s investigation is focused on whether these celebrities received payment from the promoters of the betting apps and whether any part of the transactions constituted money laundering.
The probe continues as authorities work to trace the financial transactions and gather evidence regarding the extent of celebrity involvement in promoting these online gambling platforms.