NEW DELHI: Indian cricket is looking for a new main sponsor after a fantasy sports gaming platform pulled out of a deal worth $43.6 million following a government ban on online gambling, reports said on Monday.

Dream11, the biggest online gaming platform in the country, became the lead sponsor of the men’s and women’s national teams after signing a three-year deal in July 2023. The Dream11 logo is printed on the jerseys of the Indian players.

It is also the sponsor of several Indian Premier League franchises.

Last week, the Indian parliament passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, criminalising the offering and financing of such games, with offenders facing up to five years in prison.

The Indian Express said on Monday that representatives of Dream11 visited the office of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and informed its chief executive, 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 daily said, quoting a BCCI official.

The T20 Asia Cup starts on Sept 9 in the UAE.

“There’s not much time left for the Asia Cup, but we are exploring options,” a board official was quoted as saying by Sportstar website.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2025