Key Moments:
- India’s online gambling ban has forced operators to terminate all cash-based games, affecting 450 million users.
- Dream11 has suspended cash contests for its 260 million user base and cancelled a £34 million cricket sponsorship.
- Players are turning to offshore gambling platforms using VPNs, while violators face five-year prison sentences.
Severe Ban Reshapes Gaming Landscape
A sweeping online gambling ban in India has dismantled the fantasy sports and card gaming sector. With 450 million users seeking alternatives, the legal shift has eliminated a market valued at £1.8 billion per year. Operators are now overhauling their entire business approaches in the wake of the prohibition.
🚨 Centre moves to ban real-money online gaming
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Proposes ban on all money-based gaming transactions
Likely… pic.twitter.com/0AUTGaHaUQ
— Nabila Jamal (@nabilajamal_) August 20, 2025
Operators Forced Into Fundamental Changes
Dream11, India’s largest fantasy sports firm, has removed all cash-based competitions, introducing electronics and vehicle prizes as substitutes for its 260 million users. The company also ended its £34 million jersey sponsorship with the Board of Control for Cricket in India, marking a significant withdrawal from cricket-related marketing activities.
The elimination of cash gaming has effectively dismantled the entire fantasy cricket industry, previously driven by IPL betting volumes. With a threat of five-year prison sentences for non-compliant operations, gambling platforms have made swift and decisive changes to their business models.
| Operator | Action Taken | User Impact | Commercial Partnerships |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dream11 | Suspended all cash contests | 260 million users | Cancelled £34 million cricket sponsorship |
Indian Players Shift to Offshore Alternatives
With legal options dwindling, many Indian users now rely on offshore gambling websites. Virtual private networks and foreign payment methods are being used to access alternative gaming environments outside Indian jurisdiction. These unregulated platforms have attracted a substantial share of the displaced player base.
As Mumbai resident Adarsh Sharma stated, “Online gambling is habitual behavior that drives users towards alternative platforms regardless of legal barriers.” Offshore operators, however, often lack the consumer safeguards that previously existed in regulated domestic markets.
Cricket Sponsorship and Advertising at Risk
The impacts of the ban are rippling across the cricket industry, most notably the Indian Premier League. Fantasy sports platforms, which once delivered 40% of IPL advertising income and secured major sponsorship deals, have now exited commercial agreements. Analysts foresee lower media rights values for the 2027 IPL due to the absence of gambling-backed advertising.
Regulatory Motivation and Sector Fallout
Government authorities defended the sweeping ban by referencing addiction risks and alleged ties to terrorism financing within the online betting ecosystem. Extracting £1.8 billion annually in consumer spending, the segment’s economic footprint did not deter policymakers from acting to address these concerns.
India has now enacted some of Asia’s harshest gambling regulations, with five-year prison terms for offenders. The enforcement approach aims to stamp out commercial gambling, although this could have long-term implications for the sports betting infrastructure and overall market activity.
- Author
Daniel Williams
