Vijay Deverakonda, a popular Telugu actor, has found himself in controversy after he was linked to a digital platform under investigation for its links to online betting. He recently appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an ongoing investigation into the alleged promotion of betting apps. The actor later appeared before the media and clarified that he is not connected to any betting app.
“I was summoned because my name came up in connection with a betting app case. In India, there are two different categories – betting apps and gaming apps,” the actor told the media while clarifying his stance on the ongoing controversy.
He added, “I clearly explained that I promoted a gaming app called A23. There is no connection between betting apps and gaming apps. Gaming apps are legal in several states. They are registered, have GST, taxes, and necessary approvals.”
The Kingdom actor has also submitted all the financial documents to the ED, which will be required in the investigation.
Apart from Vijay, other popular celebrities, including Rana Daggubati, Lakshmi Manchu, and Prakash Raj, have also been summoned.
Meanwhile, Vijay Deverakonda is also in the news due to his recent movie ‘Kingdom’. The movie also faced backlash as several groups have accused the movie of misrepresenting Tamil identity and hurting religious sentiments. The film’s production house, Sitara Entertainment, in an official statement, clarified that ‘Kingdom’ is completely based on a fictional story and that they did not intend to hurt the sentiments of any community. “We would like to apologise if they have in any way hurt the sentiments of the people,” a part of the statement read.
The movie was released in theatres on July 31, 2025. It also stars Satyadev and Bhagyashri Borse in the lead roles.
