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3h ago

Dream11, Gameskraft Won’t Challenge India’s Real‑Money Online Gaming Ban

Dream11 reports a 95% revenue wipeout, ending its BCCI jersey deal.

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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Rohit Sharma was Dream11's biggest-name athlete, earning between a reported 6-7 crore INR annually before the Online Gaming Bill.

Overview

  • Parliament’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 is now law with presidential assent, banning real‑money online games, prohibiting advertising, and blocking payment processing with criminal penalties.
  • Major platforms including Dream11, Gameskraft’s RummyCulture, MPL, Zupee, PokerBaazi, Probo and others have halted cash offerings, with companies assuring users that wallet balances remain withdrawable.
  • Dream11 says about 95% of group revenue and all profits vanished overnight, yet it plans no layoffs and is pivoting to free‑to‑play social games and sports AI initiatives while trimming marketing spend.
  • Dream11 and Gameskraft state they will not seek court relief against the ban; Gameskraft has paused ‘Add Cash’ and gameplay on its rummy apps and is coordinating withdrawals with financial partners.
  • The ban triggered immediate commercial fallout as Dream11 exited Team India’s jersey sponsorship before the Asia Cup, while the government promotes esports and critics warn users could shift to offshore operators.