Cricket and cricketers are in cold water after the Online Gaming Bill, which bans infamous gaming platforms like Dream11, IPL, Winzo, and many others. According to the Government of India’s Press Information Bureau, 45 crore people are affected, resulting in a loss of ₹20,000 crore. Things are going downhill not only for the real-money gaming industry, but also for cricketers who endorse the brand. The IPL will lose around ₹125 crore per year, the advertising industry will lose ₹8,000–₹10,000 crore annually, and Indian cricketers will lose ₹150–200 crore. Popular cricketers like Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and MS Dhoni will lose ₹6 – ₹12 crores from the deals. Additionally, the European Cricket Network has already shut down. Learn more about the impact.
How Are the Real-Money Games Important for Cricket?
- Well, Dream11 (a real-money gaming company) is the official sponsor of the Indian team’s jersey.
- These companies put hefty money into the IPL, notably the world’s richest cricket tournament.
- Plus, they have major endorsement deals with elite players (promoting their apps). But overnight, the money suddenly disappears after the ban.
Impact on Cricketers’ Incomes Like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni
Real-money gaming companies had endorsement deals with big stars like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, Rishabh Pant, Shikhar Dhawan, Hardik Pandya, Shreyas Iyer, Jasprit Bumrah, and many others. Popular ones are:
- Kohli: ~₹10–12 crore (MPL)
- Rohit Sharma: ~₹6–7 crore (Dream11)
- MS Dhoni: ~₹6–7 crore (Winzo)
However, they still have deals with renowned sponsors, including Pepsi, Adidas, and various car and tech brands. It won’t hurt them much. On the other hand, the young players such as Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar, among others, are suffering the biggest blow. The main issue is that these players earn ₹1 crore or less from endorsements, which could wipe out all their advertising income. Overall, Indian cricketers could lose between ₹150–200 crore.
Impact on Cricket Leagues Like IPL
From My11Circle’s deal alone, the IPL will lose around ₹125 crore per year. This number is small, given that other sponsors will quickly step in and replace them (the IPL is that big). Smaller leagues have taken the biggest hit or even collapsed; the European Cricket Network has already shut down. And other tournaments will follow, because these events don’t have backup sponsors like the IPL does.
Impact on the Advertising Industry
The advertising industry generates approximately ₹8,000–10,000 crore annually from these online real-money gaming apps. That roughly makes up 7–8% of India’s overall advertising market. These numbers are so high because cricketers and celebrities are promoting the apps. No doubt, without these brands, profits will not only drop, but the brand values of cricketers and celebrities will shrink. Plus, their endorsement incomes will fall by 20–25%.
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