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1h ago

Dream11, Gameskraft Pledge Compliance as India’s Real-Money Gaming Ban Upends Sports Sponsorships

Company leaders are pivoting to free-to-play products with new bets on sports AI after the law wiped out most paid gaming revenue.

A user checks the Dream11 application of the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament, on his mobile phone in New Delhi. Parliament has passed a sweeping bill banning online gambling, after government figures showed companies had stripped $2.3 billion annually from 450 million people.
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Overview

  • India’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 is now in force, banning real‑money games, prohibiting advertising, and blocking payment processing for such services with criminal penalties for violations.
  • Dream Sports’ Harsh Jain said about 95% of group revenue vanished after paid contests were halted, pledged no layoffs for roughly 800 staff, and said 500 engineers will be redeployed to new sports tech and AI projects.
  • Dream11 notified the BCCI it cannot continue as Team India’s jersey sponsor under the new regime, and board officials said a fresh tender will be issued before the Asia Cup.
  • Gameskraft confirmed it will not challenge the law, paused ‘Add Cash’ and gameplay on RummyCulture, and told users balances are safe with withdrawals being processed.
  • Industry fallout is broad, with multiple platforms shuttering cash play, analysts warning of steep cuts to digital ad spend, and reports suggesting Indian cricketers could lose roughly INR 150–200 crore in annual endorsements.