The ban on real-money online gaming in India is set to deal a major financial blow to leading cricketers, with industry reports estimating losses of ₹150–200 crore annually. Players such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and MS Dhoni are among those most affected, as their endorsement deals with gaming companies come to an end.
Kohli, who had a long-term association with Mobile Premier League (MPL), is expected to lose nearly ₹10–12 crore per year. Similarly, Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni could see annual earnings fall by ₹6–7 crore each from terminated contracts with platforms such as Dream11 and Winzo.
The impact stretches beyond individual players. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has already lost Dream11 as its title sponsor, while IPL franchises including Kolkata Knight Riders, Lucknow Super Giants, and Sunrisers Hyderabad may each face sponsorship losses in the range of ₹10–20 crore.
Advertising experts estimate that the departure of gaming firms could reduce cricket-linked sponsorship and endorsement revenue by ₹8,000–10,000 crore per year. Fantasy gaming previously accounted for nearly 15–20% of digital ad spending in India, making its sudden exit a significant setback for the sports economy.
Analysts suggest that cricket bodies and players may now turn toward consumer goods, fintech, automobile, and technology sectors to make up for the shortfall. The transition, however, is expected to take time as companies adjust to the new regulatory environment.
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