The Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) office-bearers admitted that they have information about such illegal activities, but claimed that no action could be taken in the absence of a formal complaint.
According to officials and sources associated with district cricket bodies, a pattern has emerged in which event management companies approach district associations with proposals to organise franchise-style leagues.
These events are promoted on the lines of the UPT20 League and the Indian Premier League (IPL), with player trials, hotel-based auctions, team branding, live streaming and sponsorship packages.
Office-bearers of a few district cricket associations claimed that some sponsors or their associate companies were linked to online betting platforms.
“While the leagues are projected as professional exposure opportunities for budding cricketers, the real financial gains are being generated through betting activity around the matches,” an office-bearer of a cricket association said.
District leagues are organised in Kanpur, Ayodhya, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut and Ghaziabad.
These tournaments draw young cricketers hoping to be noticed for the UP T20 League, which has become a recognised pathway for players aspiring to reach bigger professional platforms, including the IPL.
Another office-bearer of a district cricket association alleged that event management companies were functioning as intermediaries for betting-linked sponsors.
“District league event companies work like agents of betting companies. They connect with district associations to organise district premier leagues, bring sponsors and handle hosting plans. Some sponsors also have sister companies involved in online betting. This is a planned operation, and the same event company is involved in holding multiple district leagues,” he said.
“The model begins with trials where aspiring players are charged Rs 500-Rs 1,000 each for trials in which thousands turn up. The events are then packaged for digital visibility, with team names, match schedules and live scoring being used by betting platforms to attract online wagers,” the office-bearer added.
TOI came across digital material indicating that teams from a district league appeared on a betting website. Sources claimed that the sponsor company and the betting platform were linked through a common parent or associate entity. Such connections, if established, would raise serious questions about the integrity of the tournaments.
Senior office-bearers of the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association have also received informal reports about betting activities and movement of money between entities operating betting websites. However, officials said no action was taken in the absence of a formal complaint.
UPCA secretary Prem Manohar Gupta said the association was keeping a watch on the activities of the district leagues.
“District leagues are becoming a serious concern for UPCA. Whether it is irregularities surrounding District Premier League trials or complaints of online betting, such issues from some districts have come to our notice. However, no formal complaint has been received so far,” he said.
“This is a serious matter and harmful to the cricketing environment. If required, strict steps will be taken. Punitive action may also be taken against anyone found guilty,” Gupta said.
