Weeks before the Indian cricket team begins action in the Asia Cup, the side has suffered a major off-field setback that could disrupt its commercial prospects. Sources have informed NDTV that fantasy-sports platform Dream11 has decided to withdraw as the Indian team’s lead sponsor. This decision comes in the wake of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, passed by India’s Parliament, which bans real-money gaming platforms like Dream11.
It is understood that the BCCI will soon invite new bids for the jersey-sponsorship rights. With just over two weeks remaining between now (August 24) and the Asia Cup (September 9–28), time is tight.
Securing the title sponsorship of the Indian team remains highly lucrative and it’s unlikely that brands will be disinterested. However, the compressed timeline and the BCCI’s careful vetting process make the race for a replacement a tense one.
If no new sponsor is found before the Asia Cup, which begins on September 9, the team may play the tournament without a lead sponsor on their jerseys—an unusual sight for what is considered the wealthiest cricket body in the world.
Sources further reveal that although jerseys bearing the Dream11 logo have already been printed, they will not be used during the tournament.
Dream11’s exit echoes previous high-profile sponsorship disconnections—Byju’s, for example, withdrew after a financial meltdown. The Online Gaming Bill’s enactment, banning real-money platforms, directly impacts Dream11’s model. The existing BCCI-Dream11 deal was valued at ₹358 crore and set to run for three years starting July 2023.
Thus, this partnership ends prematurely, similar to the fate of earlier titans like Byju’s and Sahara—all of whom encountered severe financial or legal downturns while serving as Team India’s title sponsors.
The BCCI has not issued an official statement yet, but its Secretary, Devajit Saikia, stated on Friday that the board will strictly adhere to Indian law: “If it’s not permissible, we won’t do anything. The BCCI will follow every policy of the country as framed by the central government.”