BCCI invites bids for Team India's title sponsorship, no real money gaming or crypto company allowed

The BCCI on Tuesday invited bids for the Indian cricket team's title sponsorship rights after fantasy sports giants Dream11's pullout and barred companies dealing in real money gaming and cryptocurrency from the process due to a government ban on such entities.

The Indian team will be without a title sponsor in the Asia Cup starting September 9 in the UAE as the Board has set September 16 as the last date to submit bids.

Dream 11 recently shut down its real money games due to the '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".

Dream 11 and My11Circle jointly contributed about Rs 1,000 crore to the BCCI through title sponsorship of the Indian cricket team and Indian Premier League.

"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," stated a press release from the BCCI.

The last date for the purchase the Invitation for Expression of Interest (IEOI), which will cost Rs 5 lakh, is September 12.

"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 applying are tobacco, alcohol and any entity "which is likely to offend public morals such as, including but not limited to, pornography".

The Board also made it clear that some brand categories will also be "blocked on account of the BCCI having existing sponsors within the said categories." These include 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 brands in these categories that are associated with BCCI right now are Adidas, Campa Cola, IDFC First Bank, and SBI Life, among 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 through surrogate brands. Surrogate branding refers to any attempt to indirectly submit a bid on behalf of a different entity or Person through the use of a different entity or person. This includes, but is not limited to, the use of different names, brands, identity 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 manner without providing any reason".

Dream11 had won the rights for of USD 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 fully understands one of our sponsorship partner's plight. It is not their fault and unlike other issues of payment default, there won't be any penalty levied on Dream11. This is a government rule and full compliance is required and in the current scenario, there business will be impacted," a top BCCI official had told PTI on conditions of anonymity earlier.