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Exclusive: Dream11 set to shut its core real-money gaming biz

Entrackr · 10h ago

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Exclusive: Dream11 set to shut its core real-money gaming biz “The decision was communicated during an internal town hall on Wednesday,” said one of the sources on condition of anonymity. “RMG contributes more than two-third of the company’s annual revenue.” Dream11 (Dream Sports) is winding down its real money gaming operations, sources aware of the development told Entrackr. The decision comes on the heels of the government’s recent Online Gaming Bill 2025. “The decision was communicated during an internal town hall on Wednesday,” said one of the sources on condition of anonymity. “RMG contributes more than two-third of the company’s annual revenue.” The landmark Bill, passed by the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, bans all forms of online games involving monetary stakes, including fantasy sports, poker, betting apps, and opinion trading platforms. The Bill also prohibits celebrity endorsements and makes violations a criminal offense, carrying imprisonment of up to three years and fines of up to Rs 1 crore, with personal liability extended to company directors and promoters unless they can prove due diligence. According to sources, Dream11 will now shift focus to expanding its non-real-money gaming ventures such as Fancode, Sportz Drip (formerly Sports Rhythm), and its investments in Cricbuzz and Willow TV. “The firm is also likely to explore new game formats for overseas markets, similar to the strategy adopted by Mobile Premier League (MPL),” said a second source requesting anonymity. "The shutdown will also trigger severe cost-cutting measures, including mass layoffs, as the RMG business employed the majority of the firm’s workforce,” the person added. Dream11 has declined to comment on the story. Dream11’s revenue from operations surged to Rs 6,384 crore in FY23 from Rs 3,841 crore in FY22. During the period, its profit also increased 32% to Rs 188 crore. It has yet to file its annual report for FY24 and FY25.