The adoption of federal legislation in India aimed at banning real money gaming (RMG) has forced several companies to shut down operations. One of India’s largest operators, Dream11, has announced that it will cease its activities in the country. Other firms, including My11Circle, Zupee, Gameskraft, Mobile Premier League (MPL), and Probo, have also closed their real money gaming businesses.
Probo confirmed the shutdown of both its opinion-trading app and its fantasy cricket platform, Team 11.
“As unfortunate as it is, we respect the Government of India’s newly adopted Online Gaming Bill. In light of this development, Probo has decided to discontinue its real money gaming operations with immediate effect until further notice,” a Probo spokesperson said.
The most significant casualty of the legislation is Dream11. According to Entrackr, the operator is winding down its real money gaming operations in direct response to the law.
This decision poses serious financial consequences for the brand, as reports suggest that over two-thirds of Dream11’s revenue comes from RMG. The company is expected to shift its focus to non-RMG ventures, such as Fancode and Sportz Drip, although these businesses are unlikely to generate comparable revenue.
Dream11’s exit will be felt most acutely in cricket. The company is the official shirt sponsor for India’s men’s, women’s, and under-19 national cricket teams.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has already reached out to authorities to clarify whether the Dream11 logo can continue appearing on national team jerseys following the passage of the law.
According to the Dream Sports website, Dream11 partners with 40 sports organizations worldwide, including the UK’s The Hundred, the NBA, and Australia’s Big Bash T20 League. However, if the company loses such a significant share of its income, it may struggle to maintain its current level of investment in sports sponsorships.
Both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha have passed the Promotion and Regulations of Online Gaming Bill 2025, which prohibits the promotion of real money games due to their perceived negative social impacts.
The definition includes all forms of online betting and gaming, such as fantasy sports, poker, rummy, and lotteries. The bill explicitly prohibits anyone from “offering, aiding, abetting, inducing, or otherwise participating in providing online money games.”
However, the ban does not apply to social online games or esports. Promoting or facilitating RMG platforms is now considered a criminal offense. First-time violations carry penalties of up to 3 years in prison or fines of up to ₹1 crore (€110,000). Repeat offenses may result in at least 3 years in prison and fines of up to ₹2 crore (€220,000).
An estimated 450 million Indians play RMG games each year. The bill was introduced amid growing concerns about the “psychological and financial harm” caused by such games.
“Online money gaming has become a serious concern, as these platforms lead to addiction, have been used for fraud and cheating, and cause financial losses for people,” said Information and Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
President Droupadi Murmu signed the Promotion and Regulations of Online Gaming Bill 2025 into law on Friday (August 22), with just one more step left — notification by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology — before the prohibition of real money games (RMGs) comes into effect.
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