NEW DELHI, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the national governing body of the sport of cricket in India, on Monday ended the sponsorship association with the country's fantasy online sports platform Dream11.
The decisions followed the passage of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 in both houses of parliament last week.
The confirmation was made by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia while speaking to the media.
"Looking at the current situation and keeping in mind that the bill has become an Act, it would be really difficult for BCCI to continue with Dream11. So, the association with Dream11 is over, and BCCI will look for a future course of action, including a new sponsor," Saikia was quoted by a local television news channel as having said.
A local news agency also quoted Saikia saying BCCI will ensure not to indulge with any such organisations in the future.
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, prohibits online money gaming services, advertisements and financial transactions related to them.
Reports said Dream11 and another fantasy sports platform, My11Circle, jointly contribute approximately 114 million U.S. dollars to the BCCI through title sponsorship of the Indian cricket team and the Indian Premier League.
According to a media report, Dream11 has a 2023-2026 contract of 44 million U.S. dollars for being Team India's title sponsor.
"We have always been a law-abiding company and have always conducted our business in compliance with the law. While we believe that progressive law would have been the way forward, we will respect the law and fully comply with the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025," Dream11 said in a recent statement.
The bill became law after getting assent from the Indian president. The new law also prohibits advertisements related to online money games and bars banks and financial institutions from facilitating or transferring funds for any of such games.
Experts say people indulge in playing online money games by depositing money in the expectation of earning higher returns.
The legislation has made online money gaming punishable by imprisonment of up to three years and/or a fine of up to 10 million Indian rupees (about 114,600 U.S. dollars). ■