The development came after ‘The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill’ was passed by both houses of parliament on Thursday
Just 16 days before the start of the Asia Cup in the UAE, fantasy sports platform Dream11 reportedly retracted its commitment as the lead jersey sponsor for the Indian cricket team. The development came after ‘The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill’ was passed by both houses of parliament on Thursday. The bill banned online fantasy sports and gambling platforms.
According to a report in NDTV, Dream11 is “not willing to continue its deal” with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). However, both have yet to make an official announcement.
The secretary of the national governing body, Devajit Saiki, said the BCCI will adhere to the country’s laws. “If it’s not permissible, we’ll not do anything. The BCCI will follow every policy of the country that is framed by the central government,” he said.
The report further said that BCCI will likely invite new bids for the jersey sponsorship rights ahead of the Asia Cup. If the Indian board fails to bag a deal before the tournament, which begins on September 9, India might play without a lead jersey sponsor in the Asia Cup.
Sources also told the channel that the new jerseys for the Asia Cup, featuring Dream11, had already been printed but were unlikely to be used in the tournament.
Dream11, which was announced as India’s lead jersey sponsor in July 2023 for a three-year contract, and had signed a deal worth ₹358 crore, has now joined an unenviable list of the team’s past sponsors, who have been hit by financial or legal trouble. Sahara, the sponsor between 2001 and 2013, ran into SEBI trouble over regulatory violations. Star India replaced them as the lead sponsor between 2014 and 2017, but they faced a Competition Commission probe. Oppo, which entered the scene in 2017, pulled out in 2020, citing financial strain. Byju’s stepped in the same year, yet its stint ended acrimoniously, with the BCCI dragging the edtech major to court over unpaid dues.
