The Government of India has cleared the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha. The new law aims to put an end to real-money online gaming, pointing to risks like addiction, fraud, and money laundering. It sets tough rules for gaming platforms and even the celebrities who promote them. Ads for money-based games will not be allowed, and banks will be barred from processing related payments. Once both houses of Parliament pass it, those running such games could face up to three years in jail or fines of up to Rs 1 crore. At the same time, the government wants to shift focus towards e-sports and casual social gaming, with the Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry expected to frame new guidelines and but while the move is about protecting people, it could deeply affect Indian cricket and other sports, where fantasy gaming platforms play a huge role in sponsorship.
Reflecting the Government’s commitment to a safe, secure, and innovation-driven Digital India, the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 strikes a balanced path—encouraging innovation and youth engagement through safe and positive online gaming, while firmly… pic.twitter.com/dhM4LaR2mC
— Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (@MIB_India) August 20, 2025
Impact on Cricket Sponsorship
The fantasy gaming industry has invested billions in Indian sports, with cricket being the biggest beneficiary. Dream11, India’s team title sponsor, secured the men’s and women’s cricket sponsorship rights for Rs 358 crore in 2023. This deal lasts until March 2026. Similarly, My11Circle invested Rs 625 crore to secure IPL fantasy rights for five years and these investments face direct uncertainty under the new law.
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Cricketers too will face sponsorship challenges. Dream11 has roped in MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Shreyas Iyer, and Jasprit Bumrah. My11Circle has signed up big names like Sourav Ganguly, Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Rinku Singh, and Yashasvi Jaiswal. If the ban takes effect, it could cut deeply into their endorsement earnings and reduce a major source of income outside the game.
Non-Cricket Sports at Risk
Cricket may have several revenue streams to fall back on, but sports like football and kabaddi depend a lot more on fantasy gaming and betting-linked sponsors. Dream11 has already made its way into the Pro Kabaddi League, and in football, a number of ISL clubs have tied up with fantasy platforms and even betting websites posing as news outlets. In 2020, seven out of 11 ISL teams had such tie-ups, with DafaNews and PariMatch News investing under the label of “news” outlets. The Online Gaming Bill is likely to hit these smaller sports much harder than cricket, creating a bigger financial gap in an already unequal sports ecosystem.
Future of Sponsorship Landscape
According to sports lawyer Vidushpat Singhania, cricket will always find new sponsors. But the personal sponsorship market will shrink, and fan engagement will take a hit. The bill also challenges the fantasy gaming industry’s survival, which means future investments in sports marketing could decline. The government hopes e-sports will rise as an alternative. But for now, traditional sports must prepare for a sponsorship shake-up.
