How Dream11 plans to diversify, survive after Online Gaming Bill blow in India

Dream11, India’s biggest fantasy sports platform, is facing a huge challenge after the government banned all forms of online money games in the country. The Rajya Sabha approved the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 on August 21, a day after it was cleared in the Lok Sabha.

The new law, presented by Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, bans real-money games, calling them a big problem for middle-class youth. However, the bill will allow and promote skill-based non-money online games, which make up about two-thirds of the industry.

“There is addiction. The family’s savings are lost. It is estimated that 45 crore people have fallen victim to it. More than ₹20,000 crore of our middle-class families’ hard-earned money has been destroyed,” Vaishnaw had said.

Following the announcement, top gaming apps including Dream11, PokerBaazi, and Mobile Premier League (MPL) suspended their real-money offerings. For Dream11, this is a major setback, as Livemint reported that Real-Money Gaming (RMG) contributed more than 67% of Dream11’s yearly revenue.

What’s next for Dream11?

According to reports, the company will now shift its focus to non-real money platforms like Sportz Drip and Fancode, along with its other investments such as Willow TV and Cricbuzz. Expansion into overseas markets is also on the cards, with new game formats being developed for international users, much like rival MPL is doing.

However, the reports suggested that the loss of the RMG business could lead to massive cost-cutting measures, including mass layoffs, since most of Dream11’s workforce was tied to money-gaming operations. It will be interesting to see how well Dream11 can adapt to this new law.

It is important to note that Dream11 is the main sponsor of the Indian cricket team and the ban might also impact their relationship with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Some reports have also claimed that these gaming companies are consulting lawyers on moving the Supreme Court against the ban.