Shikhar Dhawan’s image used in 1xBet ads—PR team issues Legal Warning

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Despite regulatory crackdowns, illegal offshore betting platform 1xBet continues to aggressively advertise its services across various digital platforms. On social media platforms, one can find multiple advertisements featuring former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan. These visuals, circulating widely on platforms like Instagram and X, have created confusion regarding his association with the betting website. Additionally, banners and sponsored posts showcasing 1xBet’s “Indian League Carnival” campaign further fuel the brand’s presence in India, despite authorities’ efforts to curb illegal betting promotions. Notably, a tweet recently highlighted an advertisement featuring Dhawan’s image displayed on an ATM machine screen. 

Dhawan’s PR manager in an email to G2G denied any endorsement of 1xBet by the cricketer. In response to these growing concerns, they explained that Dhawan had previously partnered with 1xBat Sporting Lines, a sports merchandise brand, under a contract that ends in March 2025. He emphasized that this association was entirely separate from 1xBet, the online betting platform. Moreover, they revealed that Dhawan’s legal team has sent a notice to 1xBet for misusing his image without authorization. 

According to multiple advisories issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), any indirect promotion of gambling-related entities, including through surrogate deals such as sports merchandise brands associated with betting companies, is also considered a violation of advertising norms. The advisory warns against misleading advertisements that exploit legal loopholes to promote betting under the guise of unrelated businesses. 

It remains to be seen whether the central government and agencies will take strong action against illegal offshore gambling websites which continue to advertise aggressively with impunity, especially during IPL season.

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