Sussex have been hit with a 12-point deduction for the 2026 County Championship season following "sustained operating losses" in the last financial year.
The south-coast club have also been docked a point each for the T20 Blast and One-Day Cup.
Similar suspended penalties for all three competitions will hang over Sussex for the 2027 and 2028 seasons, while a player salary cap will be put in place until 2028.
Sussex must provide the England and Wales Cricket Board with a three‑year business plan and show sustainable year‑on‑year operating profits for the same period.
Mark West, the interim Sussex chief executive, said: "It has become clear that a combination of internal decisions and wider economic pressures have contributed to the position the club finds itself in today.
"The points deductions will be an unexpected blow to the players and supporters, but we accept the ECB's decision.
"We are sorry - it hasn't been good enough. Our responsibility now is to put things right and ensure the club is in a stronger position going forward."