The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday invited bids for the Indian cricket team’s title sponsorship rights following the exit of Dream11. The fantasy sports platform pulled out after the government’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act 2025 banned real money gaming companies from operating.
Dream11, which jointly with My11Circle had contributed about ₹1,000 crore through sponsorships of the Indian cricket team and the Indian Premier League, recently shut down its money gaming operations in compliance with the new law. The Act explicitly states that “no person shall offer any, aid, abet, induce, indulge, engage in offering online money gaming services nor shall involve in any advertisement which directly or indirectly promotes any person to play any online money game.”
Restrictions on Gaming, Crypto, Tobacco and Alcohol Firms
In its official release, the BCCI laid down strict eligibility criteria for new bidders. “Bidder, including any of its Group companies: (i) should not be engaged in online money gaming, betting or gambling services or similar services in India or anywhere in the world; (ii) should not provide any online money gaming, betting or gambling services or similar services to any Person in India; and (iii) should not have any investment or ownership interest in any Person engaged in betting or gambling services in India,” the statement read.
The last date for purchasing the Invitation to Express Interest (IEOI) is September 12, with final bid submissions due on September 16. “To clarify, a bidder, including any of its Group companies, engaged in any activities/business that is prohibited under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 is not permitted to submit a bid,” the BCCI added.
Apart from gaming and cryptocurrency firms, tobacco, alcohol, and entities “which are likely to offend public morals such as, including but not limited to, pornography” are barred from bidding.
Blocked Brand Categories and Financial Criteria
The cricket board has also restricted certain categories already covered by existing sponsors. These include athleisure and sportswear (Adidas), banks and NBFCs (IDFC First Bank), non-alcoholic beverages (Campa Cola), and insurance (SBI Life). Companies engaged in multiple product categories, if even one falls under the “prohibited” or “blocked” list, will not be allowed to participate.
Additionally, bidders are prohibited from using “surrogate branding.” The BCCI clarified: “Bidders are prohibited from submitting bids through surrogate brands. Surrogate branding refers to any attempt to indirectly submit a bid on behalf of a different entity or Person through the use of a different entity or person. This includes, but is not limited to, the use of different names, brands, identity or logos.”
Financially, eligible bidders must have an average turnover of at least ₹300 crore or a net worth of ₹300 crore over the last three years. The board also said it reserves the right to cancel or amend the IEOI process “in any manner without providing any reason.”
Dream11’s Exit Nears End of Contract
Dream11 had won the rights for USD 44 million (₹358 crore) for the 2023–2026 cycle but is exiting with almost a year left on the deal. Despite this, the company is not expected to face penalties. A senior BCCI official told PTI: “The BCCI fully understands one of our sponsorship partner’s plight. It is not their fault and unlike other issues of payment default, there won’t be any penalty levied on Dream11. This is a government rule and full compliance is required and in the current scenario, their business will be impacted.”
With Dream11’s departure, attention now turns to which brands will step in to secure one of the most lucrative sponsorship deals in Indian sports.