The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has invited bids for Team India’s title sponsorship rights following the exit of Dream11, but has imposed strict restrictions—barring companies involved in real money gaming, cryptocurrency, tobacco, alcohol, and other “morally offensive” sectors from applying.

The move comes in response to the recently enacted Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, which prohibits real money gaming services in India. Dream11, which held the title rights until 2026, was forced to exit after shutting down its money gaming operations to comply with the law. The company had paid approximately ₹358 crore ($44 million) for the contract and, alongside My11Circle, contributed ₹1,000 crore in sponsorship revenue to BCCI in recent years.

According to BCCI’s Invitation to Express Interest (IEOI) released Tuesday, bidders must not operate or invest in betting, gambling, or real-money gaming businesses, either in India or globally. Also prohibited are entities in the alcohol, tobacco, and adult content industries, and surrogate branding or indirect bidding via third-party names or shell companies is strictly banned.

Bidders from existing sponsored categories are also blocked. These include athleisure, banking, non-alcoholic beverages, consumer electronics, and insurance, with companies like Adidas, Campa Cola, IDFC First Bank, and SBI Life already associated with BCCI.

To qualify, bidders must meet a minimum turnover or net worth of ₹300 crore over the last three financial years. The last date to purchase the IEOI is September 12, and bid submissions close on September 16.

The BCCI has reserved the right to amend or cancel the process at any point without explanation.

While Dream11 exits early, BCCI sources confirmed no penalty will be imposed, acknowledging the company’s compliance with government law rather than any contractual breach.

The title sponsorship opportunity now opens the door to new sectors, with BCCI eyeing long-term, regulation-compliant partnerships that align with evolving legal and ethical standards.

The post BCCI Opens Bids for Team India Title Sponsor, Bans Gaming & Crypto Firms appeared first on CryptoShrypto.

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Filed under: Bitcoin - @ September 7, 2025 3:18 pm