The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the world’s richest cricketing body, has severed sponsorship links with Dream11, its primary sponsor. This follows the recent passage of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill by the Indian government. The purpose of the Act is to promote online social games and e-sports as well as the associated financial transactions, advertising, and real money gaming services.
The news of the two organizations cutting their connections with one another was confirmed by Devajit Saikia, secretary of the BCCI. Saikia added that, at least for the time being, the cricket organization will remember not to work with or partner with such companies in the future for its sponsorship agreements.
“The BCCI has already announced the termination of the partnership. BCCI and Dream11 are discontinuing their relationship after the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, was passed. BCCI will ensure not to indulge with any such organizations ahead in future,” stated Saikia, in a report as quoted by Cricbuzz.
BCCI Parts Ways with Dream11, Leaving India Jersey Sponsorship Open Ahead of Asia Cup
According to the aforementioned article, it is believed that the effort to terminate the highly valued arrangement was mutual, even if a Dream11 spokeswoman chose not to comment on the matter. Even though Dream11 was brought on board for a hefty sum of INR 358 crore, the BCCI actually had a greater responsibility to act right away.
In 2023, Dream Sports, the parent business of Dream11, agreed to a three-year jersey sponsorship agreement with the BCCI. This implies that, with the Asia Cup approaching next month, India will not have a sponsor at this time. In the next two weeks, it will be interesting to see if the BCCI signs another contract with another group.
The salient features of the Online Gaming Bill are:
- Complete ban on offering, operating, or facilitating online money games, irrespective of whether based on skill, chance, or both.
- Ban on advertising and promotion of money games across all forms of media.
- Ban on financial transactions linked to real money gaming; banks and payment systems barred from processing such payments.
- Empowerment to block access to unlawful gaming platforms under the Information Technology Act, 2000.
It is also known that the banks have closed the line of communication between the gambling businesses and any kind of transaction.
