BCCI to float tender for Team India sponsor as Dream11 faces ban

New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will soon float tenders inviting brands to bid for the Indian cricket team’s jersey sponsorship, sources in the board told BestMediaInfo.com.

The move becomes imminent after Dream11, Team India’s principal (jersey) sponsor, faces a ban on its real-money gaming–based fantasy sports in India.

With the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, passed by the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, real-money gaming will be banned in India once it becomes an Act after presidential assent.

Even before that, top players such as Dream11, MPL and Zupee Games have already announced the shutdown of their RMG operations.

Team India, which currently sports the Dream11 logo, will not be allowed to do so. BCCI could face penalties if the team continues to display the logo.

However, BCCI appears to be awaiting presidential assent before suspending its deal with Dream11.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told The Times of India on Thursday, “Once the act comes into force, we will look into it, examine it, and if it’s permissible, then we will take sponsorship (from online betting and gaming companies), if it’s not permissible, we’ll not do anything.”

Sources told BestMediaInfo.com that the board may lobby to delay the assent until the end of the upcoming Asia Cup.

“This may ensure that Team India plays in the sponsored jersey and the board gets enough time to onboard a new sponsor,” an industry veteran said on condition of anonymity.

Dream11 replaced Byju’s in 2023 as Team India’s lead sponsor in a three-year deal worth Rs 358 crore, comprising Rs 3 crore per home match and Rs 1 crore per away game.

The India men’s cricket team will compete in the Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE starting September 9. The women’s team will face Australia at home starting September 14.

The National Sports Governance Law, 2025, formally set out the government’s stance on multi-nation cricket involving India and Pakistan, allowing BCCI to participate and play against Pakistan in the 2025 Asia Cup in September.

Under it, bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan remains outlawed, with cricketers from across the border not allowed to enter India unless it is for a multi-nation tournament.

When asked who could be the next sponsor, the industry veteran quoted above suggested several names, including current IPL sponsor Tata, legacy brands such as Jio and Adani, and new-age brands like Zerodha.