We’ll work out a mutually beneficial way forward: Harsh Jain as Dream11 parts ways with BCCI
The three-year sponsorship deal, worth ₹358 crore, was signed in 2023 and covered India’s men’s, women’s, U-19 and emerging teams.
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Fantasy sports platform Dream11 will no longer be the title sponsor of the Indian cricket team, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) begins its search for a replacement sponsor ahead of the Asia Cup. The decision follows the government’s sweeping ban on real money gaming under the recently passed Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025.
Confirming the development, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the Board had no option but to end its association with Dream11. “Our stand is very clear. With government regulations in place, the BCCI cannot continue its sponsorship relationship with Dream11 or any such other gaming company. Under the new restrictions, there is no scope and we are facing a roadblock with Dream11,” said Saikia.
The three-year sponsorship deal, worth ₹358 crore, was signed in 2023 and covered India’s men’s, women’s, U-19 and emerging teams. Though almost a year still remained in the contract, the abrupt policy change has forced an early exit.
Dream11, however, sought to highlight its long-standing partnership with Indian cricket while addressing the fallout of the ban. Co-founder and CEO Harsh Jain said the company’s focus was on maintaining goodwill and working out an amicable resolution.
“We’ve had a decade-long relationship with the BCCI, which we deeply value. Our current agreement runs for three years and we’re in the last six months of it. Any decision about the partnership will be made mutually. We’ve already discussed the impact of the ban with them, and we’ll work out a mutually beneficial way forward,” Jain said.
The Online Gaming Act prohibits any individual or company from offering or advertising real money gaming services. Violators face penalties of up to ₹1 crore or a jail term of three years. The ban has not only crippled revenues for fantasy sports operators but also cut off a major sponsorship pipeline for Indian cricket.
For the BCCI, the immediate priority is finding a new title sponsor before the Asia Cup. “We are trying to find alternatives, but till now nothing has been finalised. Once something happens, we will let you know with a media advisory,” Saikia added.
With Dream11’s exit, the future of gaming companies in mainstream sports sponsorship appears uncertain. For now, both the BCCI and Dream11 are navigating the fallout of a sudden policy shift that has shaken one of Indian cricket’s most high-profile partnerships.
Dream11 won the tender for Indian national teams (Senior Men, women, Emerging (U23), U-19 men and women) in 2023 for a period of three years for ₹358 crore ($44 million).
