Saralnama
India's government has passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, which bans real money games nationwide, including popular fantasy sports platforms such as Dream11, Nazara Technologies, Zupee, Mobile Premier League (MPL), and Games24x7. These companies have collectively raised around $2 billion from investors like Tencent, Kalaari Capital, Tiger Global, and Sequoia Capital. Dream11 alone received approximately $1.2 billion since 2014. The bill criminalizes platforms offering real money games despite constitutional protections for games of skill, and imposes penalties including imprisonment and fines. Industry representatives warn the ban threatens jobs, investments, and innovation in the sector, which is valued at $1.82 billion in 2025 and projected to reach $5.05 billion by 2030. In response, some companies like Zupee have discontinued paid games but continue to offer free versions. The legislation also restricts financial transactions related to these games and bans their advertisement, aiming to address social harms linked to online gambling. (Updated 21 Aug 2025, 22:49 IST; source: link)