Mumbai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said on Monday that Dream11 has pulled out as jersey sponsors of the Indian cricket team and that the board was now searching for a new sponsor.
“Our association with Dream11 is over after the new legislation has come into force,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told HT, referring to the law enacted banning real money gaming (RMG). “For the next course of action, we are deliberating on what the alternatives should be.”
Asked whether BCCI was confident of finding a new sponsor ahead of the T20 Asia Cup starting on September 9, he said: “We are working with a positive mindset.”
A telecom major, global car manufacturer and a fintech firm are among those who have reportedly expressed interest. Front jersey sponsorship of the Indian cricket team is still hot property despite the stiff in-house competition from IPL. While IPL jersey deals with franchises come cheaper, there is a greater clutter there.
Last Friday, the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, passed by both houses of parliament, got the president’s assent. The regulation puts a blanket ban on online money games over societal concerns. Once real money gaming was prohibited, it forced gaming firms like Dream11 to shut down cash games and contests.
While Dream11’s parent company Dream Sports also owns a sports streaming platform and a sports luxury travel firm – it is even pivoting towards free-to-play social gaming – RMG accounted for 95% of its revenue. Experts had predicted that with Dream Sports’ primary business rendered illegal, it no longer made sense for it to spend on promotions, advertisements and sponsorship.
The parting of ways between BCCI and Dream11 is expected to be on mutual agreement, considering the unforeseen circumstances and the long-standing relationship between them – Dream11 had filled in as IPL title sponsor in 2020 after Vivo pulled out. The three-year Dream11 deal, worth Rs.358 crore, was due to run till the end of next year’s T20 World Cup in February-March.
Although Indian cricket officials will have to find a new sponsor within a fortnight, ahead of the T20 Asia Cup starting on September 9, they may opt to wait it out if the prospective sponsor is not of high standing. With a busy cricket season ahead for the Indian team, it also gives companies the opportunity of high visibility at a relatively lower spend over a short seven-month period.
The Indian men’s team is slated to play around 43 matches across formats in the remainder of the contract period. It comprises 28 bilateral home and away matches, six (including the final) in the Asia Cup, and nine (including knockouts) in the 2026 T20 World Cup at home. Women’s matches usually offer limited returns on investment, but a women’s World Cup being played at home may prove a bonus. The Asia Cup’s appeal is also because India will play at least two matches against arch-rivals Pakistan.
Cricket officials thus remain hopeful of turning adversity into opportunity. In case they can strike a tripartite deal where Dream11 sublets the contract to a new party, no tenders need to be floated.
If BCCI finds a strong suitor, it may even try to finalise a longer agreement up to the 2027 ODI World Cup.
How BCCI navigates the situation is being watched closely as it would be a swift ruling on what the market thinks about the allure of Indian cricket in tough times. The flourishing fantasy gaming industry business had contributed over ₹1000 crore in sponsorships, and five times more in advertising, to the cricket economy.
BCCI also has a ₹625 crore IPL deal with My11Circle, which still has three years left. “We have time for the next IPL. We will cross the bridge when we get there. Our immediate priority is the Asia Cup,” Saikia said.
