The BCCI has invited expressions of interest for the lead sponsor rights for the Indian national cricket teams, both men's and women's, on September 2, 2025. In August 2025, over a year before their contract was set to expire, Dream11 withdrew, forcing the BCCI to find a new sponsor.
After their business suffered greatly as a result of the new laws, Dream11 decided to leave on August 25. This followed the Indian government's new Online Gaming Act 2025, which outlawed online money gaming platforms.
For the lead sponsorship rights, which allow businesses to have their name on the front of the Indian shirt, the BCCI opened the bidding process. Nonetheless, a thorough notice made clear which kinds of businesses were prohibited from listing their names in the BCCI pool.
Additionally, the BCCI established a requirement that businesses vying for sponsorship rights must generate at least Rs 300 crore in revenue annually.
The board gave the entities until September 16 to submit their proposals after releasing its notification on September 2. This implies that Team India will probably compete in the 2025 Asia Cup without a jersey sponsor.
As per the BCCI invite for tender, it is strictly forbidden for bidders and their group firms to be involved in online gambling, betting, or money gaming in India or anyplace else in the globe. They shouldn't offer these services to anyone in India, and they shouldn't own or invest in any company that engages in gambling or betting.
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, prohibits certain activities, and any bidder or its group firms involved in such activities will not be allowed to submit a bid.
In the same vein, bidders and their group firms are prohibited from participating in cryptocurrency-related activities either directly or indirectly. This covers cryptocurrency trading, cryptocurrency exchanges, cryptocurrency tokens, or any comparable activity.
When it comes to multi-category brands, a bidder will not be allowed to place a bid for a category if they operate in more than one product or brand category, and even if one of those falls within a blocked or forbidden category.
Manufacturers of sportswear and athleisure, banks, banking and financial services, NBFCs, fans, mixer grinders, safety locks, insurance, and non-alcoholic cold beverages are among the blocked categories.
Products that contain alcohol, betting or gambling services, cryptocurrencies, online money gaming, or any other activity that is prohibited by the tobacco businesses that violate public morals and the Online Gaming Act of 2025. These bidders may still place offers for any other brand category that is exempt from these limitations, though.
Additionally, it is strictly prohibited to use surrogate branding. Any covert attempt to place a bid using a different brand name, logo, or identity on behalf of another organization or individual is known as surrogate branding. This includes representing another party through the use of logos, alternative entities, or any other dishonest method.
