- A ban on real-money online gambling in India has resulted in financial difficulties and thousands of jobs lost.
MUMBAI — India’s shutdown of real-money online gaming has caused damage that’s already worse than anyone expected. The government passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act 2025 in August, which forced all the poker, rummy, and fantasy sports platforms to shut down.
Even if enforcement hasn’t begun formally yet, the industry has been completely destroyed by the uncertainty alone. Companies have already written down almost $840 million in damages, and around 7,000 individuals have lost their jobs.
Before, over 200,000 were employed and nearly $2.3 billion in tax income was being produced by the roughly 400 enterprises that operated in the region.
Well-known businesses like Dream11 and My11Circle sponsored cricket leagues and national teams, which meant real money was going to athletes, youth programs, and community projects.
Now that the majority of that money has disappeared overnight, sports betting sites in India are frantically trying to determine whether there is a legal path forward.
Investors and legal sports betting sites are confused about what to do next. Also, the tax revenue lost in India is affecting the world of sports itself. Betting companies used to pump money into leagues, youth programs, and infrastructure. Without that support, a lot of programs are barely hanging on.
The same thing is frequently stated by others in the industry. Other nations, such as the Philippines and the UK, managed this more successfully.
