Online Gaming Ban: Kohli, Rohit, Dhoni Among Biggest Losers as Cricketers Face ₹200 Crore Hit

The Indian government’s new Online Gaming Bill, banning real-money gaming, is set to trigger one of the biggest financial disruptions in cricket’s modern history. The policy is expected to ripple across the sport’s entire ecosystem — from national team sponsorships and the IPL to overseas leagues once bankrolled by fantasy-gaming giants.

Fantasy platforms such as Dream11, My11Circle, MPL and WinZO had become central to Indian cricket’s commercial framework, backing the BCCI, IPL franchises, and dozens of star players. But with the ban in force, the first cracks are visible: Dream11 has already pulled out as Team India’s jersey sponsor, leaving a vacuum in one of the game’s richest sponsorship slots.

A Cricbuzz report suggests Indian cricketers could collectively lose ₹150–200 crore in annual endorsements as gaming firms withdraw. Top stars like Virat Kohli (₹10–12 crore a year from MPL), Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni (₹6–7 crore each from Dream11 and WinZO) may find replacement deals, but younger players earning ₹50 lakh–1 crore annually risk losing their primary endorsement income. For some, gaming platforms were their only brand partners, wiping out entire revenue streams.

The impact stretches beyond players. While the IPL may absorb the reported ₹125 crore loss from My11Circle’s exit, smaller leagues and ventures are far more vulnerable. The European Cricket Network, heavily reliant on Indian gaming sponsors, has already suspended operations.

Advertising, too, faces a shake-up. Online gaming contributes 7–8% of India’s total ad market, or ₹8,000–10,000 crore annually, and accounts for nearly 15–20% of digital ad spending, according to Elara Capital’s Karan Taurani. He warns players’ endorsement income could shrink 20–25% overall, denting brand value for some of the nation’s biggest celebrities.

Cricket’s governing bodies, advertisers, and players are now bracing for a sponsorship reset — one that could permanently alter the sport’s financial backbone in India and beyond.