The government’s new Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025 has disallowed “real money games”, hitting companies like Dream11 hard
PTI25-Aug-2025Fantasy sports company Dream11, which recently shut down its real money games after the central government passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025 in both houses of parliament, has intimated to the BCCI that it won’t be able to continue as the lead sponsor of the India cricket teams as its revenue stream is expected to be severely hit.Dream11 has a US$ 44 million (INR 358 crore approx.) deal with the BCCI – 2023 to 2026. Between them, Dream11 and My11Circle, another fantasy sports company, contribute around INR 1000 crore to the BCCI through the sponsorship of Indian cricket teams and the IPL.The new government bill states that “no person shall offer 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”. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia declined to comment on the development and the way forward, but it is understood that Dream11 might not have to pay a hefty penalty as the contract has a specific clause about getting a waiver in case there is a government regulation in place.