How Online Gaming Act 2025 Affects BCCI, IPL and Indian Cricketers’ Endorsements
Online Gaming Act 2025: The Indian government’s decision to ban real-money gaming apps under the Online Gaming Promotion and Regulation Act, 2025, is poised to significantly impact the cricket industry. This new law may lead to substantial changes, affecting everything from cricketers’ personal endorsements to major sponsorship deals with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Consequently, it could have a lasting financial effect on the industry.
Online Gaming Act 2025 and Its Impact on Indian Cricketers
Several players from the Men in Blue have been linked to several fantasy sports platforms. Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, and Krunal Pandya were all signed up with Dream11, while other top platforms had also roped in players like Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rituraj Gaikwad, Rinku Singh, and even former India captain Sourav Ganguly. Players like Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni will also be affected.
Kohli’s deal with MPL, India’s jersey sponsor, is estimated to be worth around Rs 10-12 crore annually. Dhoni’s tie-up with a popular platform is estimated to be worth around Rs 6-7 crore. For incoming players, the figure was around Rs 1 crore.
According to Cricbuzz, collectively, Indian cricketers are reportedly losing Rs 150-200 crore annually. For many players, the ban has effectively wiped out their entire advertising revenue, as such companies were the only brands in their line-up.
Online Gaming Act 2025 Impact on BCCI and IPL Franchises
The BCCI’s ₹358 crore sponsorship deal with Dream11 now stands in jeopardy. The fantasy gaming company was also the Indian team’s title sponsor, and with the Asia Cup 2025 approaching, BCCI may need a new partner.
In the IPL, associate sponsor My11 Circle was paying the board ₹125 crore annually, with three years still left in their contract. There are Many franchises, including KKR, LSG, and SRH, that are also expected to lose ₹10–20 crore each season due to the exit of these brands. This will dent the financial ecosystem of both the IPL and domestic cricket.
Experts Warn of ₹10,000 Crore Annual Loss
Advertising industry experts like Karan Taurani, executive vice-president of Elara Capital. He has said that the bill will cost Rs 8,000-10,000 crore annually. He also commented on the impact of the declining share on the entire cricket system.
“In terms of total advertising spend, these gaming companies contribute about 7-8 per cent to the market. Almost 80 per cent of that will disappear. Real money gaming accounts for 75-80 per cent of the total gaming market.
Approximately 7-8 per cent of the total advertising spend and about 15-20 per cent of the digital advertising spend will also disappear, because their share in digital advertising is higher. This was the same spending that was being spent on cricket and cricketers.
What Lies Ahead for Indian Cricket?
Three companies have shown interest in replacing Dream11 as Team India’s sponsor. The overall cricket economy is bracing for a slowdown. The ban on real-money gaming apps has shaken the financial foundation of cricket. Forcing the BCCI, IPL franchises, and players to search for alternative revenue sources.
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