By Shivani P Menon
Dream 11 and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said on Monday that they are ending their ₹358-crore jersey sponsorship deal.
The fantasy gaming site stated that it was shutting down its real-money gambling activities after the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill,2025, was enacted.
BCCI has decided to cut ties with Dream11 after the passage of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025.
Dream11 representatives conveyed to the BCCI CEO Hemang Amin that they would be unable to continue the sponsorship, leading to the company’s withdrawal from backing the Indian team during the Asia Cup. To fill the gap, the BCCI is preparing to invite fresh bids for a new sponsor through a tender process.
According to officials, Dream11’s exit will not trigger any financial penalties, as the sponsorship agreement included a clause exempting the company from liability if government regulations affected its primary line of business.
Dream 11, founded 18 years ago and now worth $8 billion, replaced Byjus, an edtech firm, as the BCCI’s top sponsor in July 2023 under a three-year deal. Apart from the Indian team, they had entered the Indian Premier League (IPL), and hired several star players as brand endorsers, such as Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and Rishabh Pant..
With just 15 days left before India begins its Asia Cup campaign in the UAE, the BCCI is under pressure to secure a replacement sponsor in time. The process of replacing the old sponsor includes placing advertisements, inviting and analysing bids, and then announcing the winner — a process that takes time and involves legal formalities.
After the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, was cleared in the Upper House of Parliament, Dream11 issued a statement asserting that it has always operated within the framework of the law.
The company further added that while progressive legislation was what it preferred to be, it would abide by and comply in full with the new law.