ED books 29, including actors, anchors, and TV hosts, for promoting illegal betting apps

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against 29 individuals, including actors, television hosts, social media influencers, and YouTubers, for allegedly promoting illegal betting applications in breach of the Public Gambling Act, 1867. The action comes under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), following five separate FIRs registered in Panjagutta, Miyapur, Cyberabad, Suryapet, and Visakhapatnam.

The case revolves around paid promotions for platforms such as Junglee Rummy, A23, JeetWin, Parimatch, Lotus365, and others suspected to be involved in large-scale money laundering. The ED believes the individuals received significant financial compensation to endorse these apps, many of which masqueraded as skill-based games but allegedly facilitated gambling under the radar.

Those named in the ECIR include actors Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Devarakonda, Manchu Lakshmi, Praneetha, and Nidhi Agarwal; TV and media personalities such as Ananya Nagella, Siri Hanumanthu, Sreemukhi, Varshini Sounderajan, Vasanthi Krishnan, Shoba Shetty, Amrutha Chowdary, Nayani Pavani, Neha Pathan, Pandu, Padhmavathi, Imran Khan, Vishnu Priya, and Shyamala; and digital creators like Harsha Sai, Bayya Sunny Yadav, Tastyteja, Rithu Chowdhary, Bandaru Sheshayani Supritha, Ajay, Sunny, Sudheer, and the YouTube channel ‘Local Boy Nani’. Kiran Goud and the management teams behind the betting platforms have also been named.

Some of the promotions were reportedly disguised as entertainment or social service, drawing public ire and triggering police complaints from individuals who claimed to have suffered financial losses. One complainant alleged a loss of over ₹3 crore after being influenced by YouTube adverts featuring these personalities.

The individuals named in the case are expected to be summoned shortly for questioning. Several of them have issued public statements denying any wrongdoing, maintaining they terminated endorsement deals upon learning of the ethical and legal concerns.