August 24,2025 – Dream11, India’s largest fantasy sports platform, has ended its role as the primary sponsor of the national cricket team following the passage of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, which imposes a nationwide ban on real-money gaming and related advertising.
The company had entered into a three-year sponsorship deal worth ₹358 crore with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in mid-2023. Under the agreement, the Dream11 logo appeared on the team’s official jerseys across formats. The arrangement, however, cannot continue under the provisions of the newly enacted law, which specifically restricts promotion of money-based gaming through sporting events.
The bill received approval from the Lok Sabha on August 20 and the Rajya Sabha on August 21, before being sent for presidential assent. It is the first federal law in India to regulate the online gaming sector, bringing both skill-based and chance-based platforms under the same prohibition.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that discussions with Dream11 had been initiated to terminate the agreement in compliance with government policy. “The board will follow every regulation laid down by the central government. If sponsorship is not permissible under law, we will not proceed with it,” he said.
The immediate impact of the decision is likely to be seen during the Asia Cup, beginning September 9, where the national side could appear without a sponsor’s logo on the front of the jersey. Officials indicated that a fresh tender process would be announced, but industry sources said the timeline is too short to guarantee a new partner before the tournament.
Dream11, part of Dream Sports, had emerged as one of India’s most prominent start-ups, with a valuation close to $8 billion. Its association with the Indian team was viewed as a landmark for the fantasy sports sector, which has grown rapidly over the past decade. With the latest law, however, companies in the segment, including Mobile Premier League (MPL) and Zupee, have begun scaling down operations, while investors have reacted cautiously to the regulatory shift.
The withdrawal of Dream11 closes a brief but high-profile chapter in cricket sponsorship. Before its entry, edtech firm Byju’s had served as the lead sponsor of the national team until 2023.
Parliamentarians supporting the new legislation cited rising cases of financial distress, addiction among young players, and the lack of uniform rules as key reasons for introducing the ban. The government has clarified that e-sports and non-monetary online games remain unaffected, while any platform involving cash stakes will be prohibited from advertising or sponsoring public events.
As Indian cricket heads into a packed international season, the BCCI faces the challenge of finding sponsors that meet the new compliance standards, even as the wider gaming industry braces for a period of uncertainty under the fresh regulatory framework.
