India’s fantasy-gaming giants—Dream11, MPL, My11Circle, Winzo—had been major sponsors of cricket, both at the team and player levels. Recent legislation, namely the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, has banned real-money gaming and its advertising in India. This has forced these platforms to withdraw from sponsorships, abruptly cutting off significant endorsement income for top cricketers.
Collectively, Indian cricketers are estimated to lose between ₹150–200 crore per year due to terminated contracts with these platforms.
Individual Endorsement Earnings Pre-Ban
Virat Kohli (MPL)
- Kohli earned approximately ₹10–12 crore annually through his partnership with MPL
- A 2019 report corroborates that MPL signed him in a deal worth around ₹12 crore for one year
Rohit Sharma (Dream11)
- Rohit’s annual earnings from Dream11 endorsements were around ₹6–7 crore
MS Dhoni (Winzo)
- Dhoni’s fantasy-gaming deal—through Winzo—also reportedly earned him ₹6–7 crore per year
The Financial Weight of These Deals
While these sums are substantial, their relative impact differs across the players:
- Kohli, for instance, commands a massive endorsement portfolio with annual income from endorsements reportedly in the range of ₹175–200 crore. Thus, the MPL deal accounted for just ~5–7% of his total endorsement revenue.
- Rohit and Dhoni—both strong brand presences—also would find ₹6–7 crore to be noticeable but manageable in the context of their overall earnings.
- For fringe or emerging players, losing a Dream11 or MPL tie-up could equate to losing one-third or even more of their endorsement income.
The Broader Repercussions
- The ban has not only stripped players of a significant revenue source but also left IPL franchises and BCCI scrambling. Dream11’s withdrawal as Team India’s jersey sponsor (a ₹358 crore deal) marks just one high-profile fallout.
- Analysts estimate the gaming-sponsorship disruption could cost the cricketing ecosystem upwards of ₹8,000–10,000 crore annually, impacting advertising spends, league revenues, and franchise sponsorships.
In Summary
| Cricketer | Platform | Annual Earnings (Pre-ban) |
|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | MPL | ₹10–12 crore |
| Rohit Sharma | Dream11 | ₹6–7 crore |
| MS Dhoni | Winzo | ₹6–7 crore |
Though significant, these lost endorsements represent a relatively mild dent in the portfolios of cricket’s top earners. The most severe financial hit will fall on emerging players and the broader cricket economy, not just the star handful.
Final Thoughts
The enforcement of the new gaming law marks an abrupt end to a lucrative era of fantasy-gaming endorsements. For cricket’s megastars—Kohli, Rohit, Dhoni—the impact, while perceptible, pales compared to their expansive earnings from other sources. However, for many players and stakeholders, the ramifications could be devastating, signaling a pressing need to diversify and seek new brand partnerships.
