India’s sweeping ban on real-money online gaming has triggered its first wave of job losses, with Mobile Premier League (MPL) announcing plans to cut 300 employees—around 60% of its local workforce.
Industry Feels the Impact
The layoffs mark one of the first major consequences of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, which prohibits all forms of online gambling. Early estimates suggest that up to 200,000 jobs across India’s tech sector could be at risk in the coming months.
At MPL, teams in legal, finance, marketing, operations, and engineering are among the hardest hit. Founded in 2018, the platform offered fantasy sports, puzzles, casual, and board games, while also partnering with global organizations such as the NBA and the Pro Kabaddi League.
Paid Games Lose Ground
MPL confirmed that its website and app are no longer accepting deposits “in compliance with the law,” though it plans to continue offering free-to-play content. The company had relied heavily on paid games, which accounted for nearly half of its total revenue.
Rival Dream11 also faces challenges. Last week, the fantasy sports operator dropped its sponsorship of India’s national cricket teams ahead of the Asia Cup, with paid games representing about 90% of its revenue.
Legal Pushback Emerges
Not all operators are accepting the ban without resistance. Head Digital Works, the company behind A23 Rummy Online and A23 Poker Online, has become the first to legally challenge the ruling.
The coming months will reveal how deeply the ban reshapes India’s online gaming landscape—both for businesses and the thousands of workers behind them.
