The ban forced the BCCI to terminate its shirt sponsorship agreement with Dream11. (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
In August, the Indian Parliament enacted legislation prohibiting online gambling. This ban significantly impacts various platforms, including card games, poker, and fantasy sports, particularly India’s immensely popular domestic fantasy cricket applications.
India’s real-money gaming industry was valued at approximately $3.7 billion in 2024, with projections indicating it could more than double to $9.1 billion by 2029. The new law is expected to have a profound effect on cricket in India, primarily by leading to the cancellation of major sponsorship deals, such as Dream11’s shirt sponsorship for the national team and its support for the Indian Premier League (IPL) and other leagues.
In India, cricket has prominently featured in gaming sponsorships, with brands making significant investments in the IPL, the national team, and grassroots tournaments. However, with these companies now banned from operating, cricket is poised to experience a substantial loss in sponsorship just as it embarks on a new commercial cycle.
The ban has promptly impacted the BCCI’s shirt sponsorship agreement with Dream11, and the IPL stands to lose My11 Circle as one of its sponsors, a deal valued at approximately $15.06 million per year. Furthermore, numerous IPL teams, such as the Kolkata Knight Riders, Lucknow Super Giants, and Sunrisers Hyderabad, will lose their gambling company sponsors and must seek new front-of-shirt sponsors before the 2026 tournament edition.
The Indian government has enacted legislation stating that online fantasy gaming applications have become increasingly addictive, resulting in financial distress for users. The new law imposes penalties for providing or facilitating such services, including a jail term of up to five years or a fine. While the aim is to curb commercial gambling, this legislation could have long-term implications for the sports betting infrastructure and overall market activity.
There has been an ongoing debate over whether platforms such as Dream11 and My11Circle are games of skill rather than games of chance. The law, however, does not distinguish between the two in this context. A game of skill involves decision-making, talent, and knowledge, while a game of chance relies primarily on luck; the current legal framework effectively prohibits both.
Several Indian high courts have previously ruled that online money games fall into the skill category and should not be classified as gambling. Although the government had earlier banned online betting apps, fantasy gaming platforms were not included in that ban until now. The recent decision was driven largely by concerns about addiction, fraud, and alleged links to terrorism financing.
Government figures from India indicate that the country was generating $2.3 billion annually from approximately 450 million Indian users. Additionally, India’s fantasy sports sector previously contributed up to 40% of IPL advertising revenues. Given the significant impact these platforms have on the country’s sporting economy, particularly in relation to the IPL, the ban on these platforms may result in reduced advertising spending, as the ban disrupts the business models of these brands.
This could significantly affect broadcasters’ revenues, leading to less funding for the league to allocate toward sponsorships and other initiatives. The current media rights cycle in India, with Viacom18 and Star, runs between 2023 and 2027. The next cycle, therefore, may be set for lower valuations.
This ban extends to the players, with several high-profile Indian cricketers losing lucrative sponsorship deals, with Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and Rohit Sharma likely to suffer the most. For example, Kohli’s partnership with MPL is estimated to be worth $1.05 million for 2025.
Collectively, Indian cricketers are reported, as per Cricbuzz, to lose anywhere between INR 105-200 crore ($1.4 to $2.6 million). For many players, not so much the likes of Kohli, Sharma, and Dhoni, it has essentially wiped out their entire endorsement revenue, as companies in this space were the only brands in some players’ sponsorship portfolios.
As legal gambling options face restrictions in India, many fans have turned to offshore gambling websites. Users are employing virtual private networks (VPNs) and foreign payment methods to access platforms outside Indian jurisdiction.
These unregulated sites have captured a significant portion of the displaced player base and often lack the consumer protections provided by regulated fantasy platforms. Given the existing level of sports-gambling addiction, the ban primarily drives users to seek alternatives rather than eliminating demand.
With the gambling brands ending their agreements with the BCCI and IPL, there are opportunities in the market for other brands to step in. India’s men’s and women’s national teams have already found a new main sponsor in Apollo Tyres. The front-of-shirt sponsorship of the Indian cricket team is one of the most prized sponsorship agreements in cricket, given the popularity of the sport in the country.
Given that Dream11 only ended its agreement in August, it did not take long for a new brand to take its place. The new deal is set to run until March 2028, and is worth a reported total INR 5,790 million ($65.65 million).
In the future, other countries may follow suit. In 2022-23, Australians spent $244.3 billion on gambling, making it the highest in the world. Free-to-air television broadcasts over a million gambling ads each year, particularly during broadcasts of the country’s two major sports, Australian football and rugby league, which heavily rely on gambling sponsorships.
Many professional sports teams depend on gambling sponsors or partners. Given the popularity of gambling in Australia, there have been suggestions that it should be treated similarly to tobacco, with restrictions on advertising and public health campaigns aimed at warning people about its dangers. Some countries, including China and Saudi Arabia, have already implemented complete bans on all forms of sports betting.
Other countries, like the US and UK, have clear rules for fantasy sports. These rules allow the industry to grow whilst also keeping users safe. The issue in India was that they did not have a nationwide system, which made it hard for the industry to expand globally.
Beyond cricket in India, the European Cricket Network’s (ECN) funding is at significant risk because it is heavily dependent on financing from Indian betting companies. The ECN planned to launch the European T20 Premier League in 2025 but has postponed it to 2026 to allow more time for discussions with potential broadcasters, franchise partners, sponsors, and governing bodies.
Without funding from the Indian gambling companies, the ECN’s operations—including its financial support for national cricket boards and grassroots programs—face substantial jeopardy.
Gambling companies have clearly exerted a significant influence on the Indian cricket sponsorship landscape. As a result, the market is likely to shift, with new sectors entering the sponsorship space and committing substantial sums to associate with some of the world’s most popular teams and franchises.
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