Dream11 Pulls Out of $41M BCCI Deal Amid New Gaming Law
Fantasy sports operator Dream11 has announced the termination of its INR 358 crore ($41 million) sponsorship deal with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The decision follows the enactment of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, which bans real-money online gambling, sparing only esports and educational games.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The new legislation forced Dream11 to suspend its paid contests, which account for over 90% of its revenue, and has now seen it exit its role as the lead sponsor of India’s men’s and women’s national cricket teams. This development leaves the teams without a jersey sponsor just weeks before the T20 Asia Cup, set to begin on September 9, 2025.
The sponsorship agreement, signed in July 2023, featured Dream11’s logo on Indian cricket jerseys through March 2026, with BCCI receiving INR 3 crore per home game and INR 1 crore for away matches. The new law, however, reclassified fantasy sports platforms like Dream11 as gambling, nullifying prior arguments that they were skill-based games.
The company has formally notified BCCI CEO Hemang Amin of its withdrawal, prompting the board to invite fresh bids for the jersey sponsorship.
When we started this journey 18 years ago as a Sports Tech company, we were not even 1% of the size of the USA Fantasy Sports industry. Dream11’s Fantasy Sports product was our way to ‘Make Sports Better’ for all of India. With this passion, belief, and the spirit of Made in India, for India, by Indians, we became the largest fantasy sports platform in the world. We have always been and will always be a law-abiding company, and have conducted our business in compliance with the laws. While we believe that progressive regulations would have been the right way forward, we will respect the law and will fully comply with ‘The Promotion & Regulation of Online Gaming Law, 2025.’
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Industry Impact
After the bill’s passage, Dream11 shuttered all paid content, a move mirrored by other real money gambling companies in India. The operator had previously navigated state-level bans by emphasizing the skill-based nature of its platform, but the federal law’s broad scope left no room for such distinctions.
Authorities claim the ban was implemented to address the proliferation of online gambling and its societal concerns, like financial distress and addiction.
For the fantasy sports industry, once valued in billions, the ban threatens decline. Platforms may pivot to free-to-play models or esports, but the loss of real-money elements could stifle growth and innovation.
Analysts warn of job losses and reduced tax revenues, while supporters of the bill praise its role in promoting responsible gaming.
Implications for Cricket
The BCCI faces a financial shortfall and the challenge of securing a new sponsor before the Asia Cup, amid a history of turbulent partnerships, with previous sponsors like Sahara, Oppo, and Byju’s exiting under various pressures.
Potential replacements such as Tata, Reliance, or Adani are being discussed, alongside fintech firms eager to leverage cricket’s massive audience.
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