Online gaming bill delivers Rs 200 crore blow to Indian cricket's top stars
The advertising industry as a whole is bracing for a substantial hit, with experts predicting a loss of ₹8,000-₹10,000 crore annually.
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The ripple effects of India's new online gaming ban have sent a shockwave through the country's multi-billion dollar cricket industry, with reports revealing that star players, including Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, are set to suffer a combined financial loss of up to ₹200 crore ($24 million) from terminated endorsement deals.
The recently passed "Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025" has effectively shut down the primary revenue stream for fantasy gaming platforms like Dream11, My11Circle, and others. These companies had become the lifeblood of Indian cricket's commercial ecosystem, from sponsoring major leagues to signing on the sport's biggest names as brand ambassadors.
The most severe impact is expected to be felt by the game's elite players, whose lucrative contracts with these gaming firms are now in jeopardy. According to a Cricbuzz report:
Virat Kohli stands to lose an estimated ₹10-12 crore annually from his deal with MPL.
Rohit Sharma, the face of Dream11, could lose up to ₹7 crore.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's contract with Winzo, worth an estimated ₹6-7 crore, is also at risk.
While these cricket legends have diverse endorsement portfolios, the ban is particularly devastating for younger players who relied on these companies for a significant portion, or even all, of their sponsorship income.
The financial fallout extends far beyond individual players. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has already lost its ₹358 crore jersey sponsorship deal with Dream11. The ban also threatens the IPL's associate sponsorship deal with My11Circle, valued at ₹125 crore. The advertising industry as a whole is bracing for a substantial hit, with experts predicting a loss of ₹8,000-₹10,000 crore annually.
