If you’re a card game enthusiast (even if you’re not, considering it’s Diwali), you’d have surely come across a banner put up across websites of some of the most popular online gaming platforms, be it RummyCircle, PokerBaazi or Adda52, saying, “Cash games and deposits have been discontinued/are no longer available”. However, you can still “play free tournaments” and “unlock special rewards”.
The development – a fallout of The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, which took effect from October 1 – may have come as a dampener to many, but Indian gaming companies are taking it in their stride to invest in free-to-play ecosystems, advertising-led models, and community tournaments that reward engagement more than cash.
Homegrown fantasy sports platform Dream11 has announced a pivot to a free-to-play product with ads and sponsorships. This new format is garnering significant interest from users who can now play for free to win prizes every day, and in turn, advertisers that are eager to tap into its 250-million user base.
“Our new model ensures that every cricket fan can join the action completely for free, test their strategy, compete with millions of other sports fans, and win cash prizes and exciting brand-backed rewards. India’s passion for fantasy cricket continues to drive remarkable engagement, and product integrations like live cricket streaming within Dream11 via our portfolio platform, FanCode, mean that sports fans will always find fresh and engaging content,” said Vikrant Mudaliar, chief marketing officer of Dream Sports, the parent company of Dream11.
Similarly, Zupee, a leading Indian online gaming and entertainment company, has now introduced Zupee Plus Membership, a premium subscription model through which subscribers can enjoy uninterrupted gameplay across its most popular titles such as Ludo Supreme, Carrom, and Snakes & Ladders. “With Zupee Plus Membership, we aim to offer our users a premium experience where the excitement of gameplay meets the magic of storytelling. By combining ad-free access to our most loved games with unlimited entertainment from Zupee Studio, we are bringing people closer to the worlds they cherish…,” said Govind Mittal, chief spokesperson of Zupee.
Across the industry, said Anurag Choudhary, founder and CEO of homegrown mobile game publisher Felicity Games, gaming studios are experimenting with time-limited festive events, thematic visuals, and seasonal challenges to boost player retention. “These lightweight, content-driven updates encourage replayability and community engagement without requiring large downloads or complex updates.”
Felicity Games, for instance, is focusing on “reward-based event loops and dynamic in-game content refreshes that give players something new to explore every few days, keeping gameplay fresh throughout the season”, added Choudhary.
Online games such as rummy, poker and teen patti are an integral part of Diwali. However, what we’re witnessing this year is a shift from real-money formats to social gaming experiences, said Parth Chadha, co-founder and CEO of gaming community startup STAN that recently raised $8.5 million in funding from Google’s AI Futures Fund and Japanese gaming giants Bandai Namco Entertainment and Square Enix, among others. “STAN has always been focused purely on socialising gamers allowing users to engage, build, and celebrate together through audio clubs, tournaments, and community-driven challenges. With our active users already participating in this festive period, we can clearly see the uplifts in the time spent, content sharing and group participation,” he added.
According to Nicolas Granatino, executive chairman of Indian video game developer Tara Gaming, the ban on real-money gaming has undoubtedly reshaped the landscape, “but rather than viewing it as a setback, we see it as an opportunity to reset priorities”. “Players globally are increasingly looking for experiences that are immersive, meaningful, and rooted in stories they can connect with. In other words, the absence of real-money gaming doesn’t mean less gaming – it means more immersive gaming. It means a chance for India to move from being a consumer of global IP to a creator of IP that resonates worldwide,” he added.
Developers and publishers are focusing on creating games that sustain engagement through creativity and competitiveness rather than monetary incentives. “For players, this means access to more diverse, inclusive, and globally polished titles, which strengthens the foundation of India’s pure-play gaming ecosystem,” said Choudhary of Felicity.
Gaming platforms are also looking at brand partnership programmes to increase reach and revenue. “Our systematic collaboration framework allows brands to tap into premium advertising inventory across our 30 million-strong user base. We’re uniquely positioned to connect brands with Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences who demonstrate both high engagement rates and strong purchase propensity,” added Chadha of STAN.
