HYDERABAD: Some of Telugu film industry‘s top actors were charged Thursday with promoting online betting apps, allegedly luring people into investing in them. Police filed an FIR against Rana Daggubati, Vijay Devarakonda, Prakash Raj, Manchu Lakshmi, Pranitha, Nidhi Agarwal and Ananya Nagella, along with a number of social media influencers, for their role in endorsing these apps.
In Telangana, online betting has been illegal since 2017 under an amended law that aims to protect people from financial harm linked to gambling. Cyberabad police commissioner Avinash Mohanty said officers are probing how these apps operate and the extent of the involvement of celebrities and influencers. ED is also set to investigate the actors and influencers. The agency will file enforcement case information reports (ECIRs) and summon those involved under the money laundering law (PMLA).
Cops acted on a complaint by PM Phanindra Sarma, who alleged that betting apps aggressively advertise on social media, using star endorsements to attract users.
Rana Daggubati responded to the FIR, saying his contract with a gaming company ended in 2017. His endorsement was limited to regions where skill-based games were legally permitted, he said.
In a statement, his legal team emphasised that all partnerships undergo careful legal review before agreements are made. “It is essential to highlight these online games have been recognised by SC as distinct from gambling,” the statement read.
Two more actors said they ended their associations with betting apps long ago. Prakash Raj posted on X, saying police had not contacted him but that he was “ready to cooperate”. He said he worked with a firm in 2016 but withdrew in 2017 after realising its nature. When a new company used the same commercial in 2021, he issued legal notices.
Actor Vijay’s team said he endorsed a skill-based gaming app only in regions where the app was legally permitted.