India’s online gaming industry has already attracted $350 million in investments from venture capital firms between 2014-2020. Growing at a CAGR of 22%, India is the second largest market worldwide for app downloads. At present, there are around 400 new gaming companies in India. Also, with an addition of 500 million smartphone users as of December 2019, mobile gaming has become the dominant focal point by asserting 85% of the internet gaming scene in the country.

India’s mobile gaming market expanded at a build yearly development pace of 21% from 2014 to 2020 and is anticipated to cross the 41% imprint every year post-2020. By 2024, the financial backers can expect a 10-year development gauge as the Indian gaming industry is projected at $3.8 billion, making India the biggest internet gaming industry in the world.

These numbers demonstrate the extent of chances the Indian gaming market is taking into account of the buyers and investors at the same. Looking at the returns from the Indian gaming industry, in the last financial year, investment reserves have raised $438 million in India’s new gaming companies since April 2020.

These stats are a clear indicator that India can become a world leader in gaming. This would be an ideal opportunity for the Indian government to acknowledge esports as a conventional game, empower them, and put resources into gaming foundation development to improve India’s odds of turning into a worldwide pioneer in the online gaming industry.

There are three key sections of online gaming, specifically: Genuine cash games, easygoing games, and e-sports. Presently, the gaming market of India is the quickest developing on the planet. Games like rummy, poker have been the top-performing internet games until this point. There have been 357 million gamers in 2019 alone in the country, and the number is constantly increasing.

Why does India need to invest?

• India has a round demographic: With almost 50% of the populaces being younger than 25, gamers are all over the nation.
• Smartphones are moderate: Cell phone users are anticipated to arrive at the 859 million imprints by 2022 which is an 84 % development when contrasted with the 468 million in 2017.
• Internet penetration: After China India is the second-largest country of internet users. Furthermore, the number of dynamic users recorded in 2019 was 451 million and is anticipated to reach 829 million by 2021.
• Booming of the IT sector: With fast technological progressions, the quantity of internet game developers rises to 275 out of 2019 from a small 25 out of 2010. Because of a developing pool of IT engineers, India is on the road to success in turning into an advancing place for gaming organizations.
• Using Digital Payment: Digital payment stages are anticipated to develop from 100 million users recorded in 2019 to 300 million users in 2022. This has added to an increment in online payment on gaming entrances.
• Foreign Funding: International organizations are putting their resources into the Indian gaming industry. These investors incorporate huge names, like Rockstar Games, an American-based gaming organization.

According to industry estimation, currently, India has more than 300 million gamers with gaming stages about 45-60% expansion in time spent during the lockdown. A large part of the development has been driven by reasonable internet availability just as an increase in the innovation of mobile phones. Fantasy sports games have been given consistent treatment by Indian courts and have been accepted on the basis that they require skills. The Niti Aayog recently issued draft guiding principles for fantasy sports games that include setting up a self-regulating organization, along with the Advertising and Standards Council of India which has recently published guidelines for advertisements of real money games on a self-regulation basis. Online games have not only become an individual’s diversion experience but have also become an undeniable virtual social space wherein they have a sense of belonging.