Due to the recent online gambling ban implemented in India, fantasy sports operator Dream11 has terminated its sponsorship of the Indian national cricket team, a deal originally scheduled to last until March 2026, with a total value of 3.58 billion Indian Rupees (approximately 41 million US dollars). This decision has resulted in the Indian men's and women's cricket teams losing their main sponsor just weeks before the start of the T20 Asia Cup.
The ban is part of the "Online Gaming Promotion and Regulation Act," which officially took effect last week, completely prohibiting all online real money gambling activities except for esports and educational games. Following this, Dream11 announced the suspension of all paid content on its platform—a sector that, according to media reports, contributed over 90% of the company's revenue.
In July 2023, Dream11 reached an agreement with the Indian Cricket Board to become the main jersey sponsor of the national team. However, with the new law in place, the company was forced to completely exit the Indian market and issued a farewell statement on social media.
It is noteworthy that Dream11 had previously positioned itself as a "skill-based game," thereby avoiding the constraints of gambling regulations. But the new law has completely changed this situation.
A spokesperson for the company stated on LinkedIn: "When we started 18 years ago, we were less than 1% of the size of the American fantasy sports market. We have always adhered to the belief of 'making sports better,' committed to Made in India, serving the local market, and eventually becoming the largest fantasy sports platform in the world. We have always operated legally, and although we agree that progressive regulation better suits the future of the industry, we will still fully comply with the 2025 Online Gaming Act."
Shortly after the passage of the act, Indian law enforcement agencies conducted raids on several locations suspected of illegal gambling, including operations linked to Congressman KC Veerendra (nicknamed "Puppy").
