Dream11 Pulls Out of Rs. 358 Crore Jersey Sponsorship, BCCI Left Without Team Sponsor Before Asia Cup 2025: Report

In a major setback for Indian cricket just weeks before the Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai, fantasy gaming giant Dream11 has withdrawn as the principal sponsor of the national cricket team. The move comes in the wake of a newly enacted law banning real money-based online games in India, a regulation that has hit the core operations of the company.

According to a report by The Indian Express, Dream11 representatives recently met BCCI CEO Hemang Amin to formally communicate their decision. "(Representatives of) Dream11 visited the BCCI office and informed CEO Hemang Amin that they won't be able to continue... As a result, they won't be the team's sponsors for the Asia Cup. The BCCI will float a new tender soon," the report quoted a BCCI source as saying.

While the decision is a big blow to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the withdrawal will not trigger any financial penalty. The sponsorship agreement reportedly included a safeguard clause stating that if government legislation adversely affected the sponsor's primary business, the company would not be liable for compensation.

Founded 18 years ago, Dream11 has grown into India's largest fantasy sports platform with an estimated valuation of $8 billion (Bloomberg). It became the Indian team's lead sponsor in July 2023, signing a three-year deal worth Rs. 358 crore, replacing Byju's. Dream11's association with cricket extends beyond Team India-it has long-term partnerships with IPL franchises and was the IPL's title sponsor in 2020 when Vivo exited.

Globally, the platform has left a strong imprint on cricket, serving as the official fantasy partner of the Caribbean Premier League and the title sponsor of New Zealand's Super Smash. It also collaborates with Australia's Big Bash League and Women's BBL, besides having a past association with the ICC.

Domestically, Dream11's influence spans multiple sports, including football, kabaddi, basketball, and hockey. However, with the new legal restrictions crippling its mainstay operations, the company has had to step back from its most prominent cricket sponsorship.

For the BCCI, this last-minute pullout leaves the national side without a jersey sponsor, prompting an urgent search for a replacement ahead of one of cricket's biggest tournaments.