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Indian Cricket Stars Face Rs 150–200 Crore Hit Amid Online Gaming Ban

New online gaming law bans advertisements for fantasy platforms, causing a projected ₹150–200 crore annual loss in endorsement earnings for Indian cricketers like Kohli, Sharma, and Dhoni. IPL and digital ad revenues also hit hard

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Indian Cricket Stars Face Rs 150–200 Crore Hit Amid Online Gaming Ban
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27 Aug 2025 4:51 PM IST

The Indian government’s new Online Gaming Bill, 2025, has resulted in a ban on advertisements for real-money gaming platforms. This sweeping policy has significant financial implications for top Indian cricketers who previously endorsed fantasy gaming apps.

A report estimates that stars like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and MS Dhoni could lose up to ₹150–200 crore annually in endorsement deals. Kohli alone earned an estimated ₹10–12 crore per year from such contracts, while Rohit and Dhoni made around ₹6–7 crore each. Emerging players earned up to ₹1 crore.

Moreover, the ban affects the larger cricket ecosystem. Platforms like Dream11 and My11Circle have pulled back sponsorships—from Team India’s jersey to IPL franchises such as KKR, LSG, and SRH—denting revenue streams.

The impact ripples further into the advertising industry, too. With real-money gaming ads accounting for 7–8% of India’s ad market, experts anticipate a ₹8,000–10,000 crore drop in annual ad revenue, particularly impacting digital ad spends.

online gaming ban Indian cricket endorsement loss Virat Kohli Rohit Sharma MS Dhoni IPL sponsorship Dream11 exit digital ad impact Hunter gaming regulation 
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