India’s decision to ban real money gaming is facing its first legal challenge as backlash over the dramatic move escalates.
Head Digital Works, the parent company of A23, has filed a petition against the Promotion and Regulations of Online Gambling Bill 2025, describing the new law as a “product of state paternalism”.
In its filing with the High Court of Karnataka, viewed by Reuters, A23 warned that the decision, which was approved by India’s parliament last week, “criminalises the legitimate business of playing online games of skill, which would result in the closure of various gaming companies overnight”.
Industry bodies in the country, such as the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF), E-Gaming Federation (EGF), and the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS), have also written to India’s Home Minister Amit Shah, highlighting the economic consequences of passing the law.
The Indian gaming industry is currently valued at $3.7bn and was projected to hit $9.1bn by 2029, according to the India Gaming Report 2025.
Operators in the country have responded to the law by pulling their RMG offerings from the market.
This includes large domestic players, such as Dream11, and international operators like Flutter, which lamented the lack of consultation with industry stakeholders prior to the decision being made by the Indian Government.
Flutter operated Junglee in India, which was expected to contribute approximately $200m revenue and $50m adjusted EBITDA to the group in 2025.
“Over the last four years Junglee has invested significantly in its local market, building a workforce of over 1,100 employees to deliver innovative skill-based gaming products to Indian customers. Central to this has been a strategy which prioritises consumer protections and responsible gaming,” said Flutter CEO, Peter Jackson.
Although A23 has chosen to take the legal route, Dream11 has confirmed that it will not be doing the same, despite the company’s CEO, Harsh Jain, admitting that “95% of our group’s revenues have disappeared overnight”.
Dream11 has committed to expanding its non-RMG ventures, such as Fancode and Sportz Drip, however, it is unlikely to rake in the same level of revenue achieved by its RMG operations.
iGaming Expert Insight: If the Indian government thought they were going to formalise this bill without a fight, they were mistaken. A23 is the first operator to raise its head above the parapet and challenge the decision, however, it is unlikely to be the last.
Given the size and value of the Indian market, key stakeholders will not be prepared to give up on RMG in the country due to the economic opportunity on offer.
September 15 will see SBC organise a groundbreaking charity football event in Lisbon. Make sure you get the chance to see some of the most legendary names in football by securing your ticket today at https://www.legendscharitygame.com/
