Dream11 Exits ₹358 Crore Deal With BCCI After Gaming Ban; New Sponsor Hunt On

Mumbai (The Uttam Hindu): The new Indian law regulating online gaming has caused its first major impact on Indian cricket. Dream11, Team India’s main sponsor, has ended its sponsorship deal with BCCI almost a year before its official end. This move comes just ahead of the Asia Cup starting September 9, creating a challenge for the BCCI to find a new jersey sponsor in time.

Under the new law passed by Parliament, all online games involving real money are now considered illegal. This has directly impacted fantasy gaming companies like Dream11, which are based on real-money participation. Due to this legal hurdle, Dream11 has exited its ₹358 crore, 3-year deal signed in July 2023.

According to NDTV, rather than rushing into a short-term deal, BCCI is now looking for a long-term sponsor from 2025 to 2028. Sources say the new deal could be worth around ₹450 crore, higher than Dream11’s offer.

The new rates set by BCCI are: ₹3.5 crore per match for bilateral series, and ₹1.5 crore per match for ICC or ACC tournaments. Though this is lower than what former sponsor Byju's paid, it's higher than Dream11’s rate. The big question now is: who will be on Team India’s jersey during the Asia Cup?