‘No actual cash gaming or crypto’: BCCI invitations bids for Group India’s title sponsorship

IMAGE: India Test captain and T20I vice-captain Shubman Gill. Photograph: BCCI

The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Tuesday invited bids for the Indian cricket crew’s title sponsorship rights after fantasy sports activities giants Dream11’s pullout and barred corporations dealing in actual cash gaming and cryptocurrency from the method attributable to a authorities ban on such entities.

Dream11 not too long ago shut down its actual cash video games as a result of ‘Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act 2025’, which states that “no person shall offer any, aid, abet, induce, indulge, engage in offering online money gaming services nor shall involve in any advertisement which directly or indirectly promotes any person to play any online money game”.

Dream11 and My11Circle collectively contributed about Rs 1,000 crore to the BCCI by title sponsorship of the Indian cricket crew and the IPL.

“Bidder, including any of its Group companies: (i) should not be engaged in online money gaming, betting or gambling services or similar services in India or anywhere in the world; (ii) should not provide any online money gaming, betting or gambling services or similar services to any Person in India; and (iii) should not have any investment or ownership interest in any Person engaged in betting or gambling services in India,” acknowledged a press launch from the BCCI.

The final date for the acquisition the IEOI is September 12, whereas the date of submission of the bid paperwork is September 16.

“To clarify, a bidder, including any of its Group companies, engaged in any activities/business that is prohibited under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 is not permitted to submit a bid,” it added.

Also barred from making use of are tobacco, alcohol and any entity “which is likely to offend public morals such as, including but not limited to, pornography”.

The BCCI additionally made

it clear that some model classes may even be “blocked on account of the BCCI having existing sponsors within the said categories.”

These embody Athleisure and Sportswear Manufacturers; Banks, Banking & Financial Service and Non-Banking Financial Companies; Non-Alcoholic Cold Beverages; Fans, Mixer Grinders and Safety Locks; and Insurance.

The manufacturers in these classes which might be related to BCCI proper now are Adidas, Campa Cola, IDFC First Bank, and SBI Life, amongst others.

“…bidder operating or engaged in multiple brand/product categories, one of which falls under either the Blocked Brand Categories or Prohibited Brand Categories, shall not be permitted to submit a bid in respect of such Blocked Brand Categories or Prohibited Brand Categories.

“Bidders are prohibited from submitting bids by surrogate manufacturers. Surrogate branding refers to any try to not directly submit a bid on behalf of a special entity or Person by using a special entity or individual. This contains, however isn’t restricted to, using totally different names, manufacturers, identification or logos,” the Board stated.

As per the financial eligibility for the bidding, the average turnover of the bidder for the last three years should be a minimum of Rs 300 crore or the average net worth of each bidder for the last three years should be at least Rs 300 crore.

The board said it reserves the right to cancel or amend the IEOI process at any stage “in any method with out offering any purpose”.

Dream11 had won the rights for of $44 million (Rs 358 crore) for the period of 2023 to 2026. They are exiting with almost a year still left in the contract but are unlikely to be penalised for it.

“The BCCI totally understands one among our sponsorship accomplice’s plight. It isn’t their fault and in contrast to different problems with fee default, there will not be any penalty levied on Dream11. This is a authorities rule and full compliance is required and within the present situation, there enterprise might be impacted,” a high BCCI official had instructed PTI.