India‘s decision to stop all real-money online games in 2025, including poker, rummy, and fantasy sports, has been a terrible blow to the country’s digital economy. What used to be a thriving ₹25,000–30,000 crore industry has fallen apart overnight, putting hundreds of thousands of people out of work, discouraging business owners, and families trying to pay their basic bills.
The government said the ban was necessary to fight gambling addiction, keep the economy from going into a crisis, and ease worries about illegal activity connected to online gaming. The story on the ground, however, is much more complicated and painful. Behind the news stories and numbers are real people whose lives have been turned upside down. For example, skilled poker players are thinking about moving abroad, and professionals have had to start over. This ban has effects on areas other than gaming, such as ads, fintech, foreign direct investment (FDI), and India’s overall digital ecosystem.
This piece looks in depth at the effects of India’s gaming ban on people and the economy, using case studies, industry data, and the voices of those who have been most affected to do so.
Read: India RMG Ban in 2025: What does it mean for Poker industry, Poker Players and Road Ahead
Employees With Families Out of a Job
The most immediate and devastating impact has been felt by employees across major gaming platforms like Dream11, MPL, Zupee, Junglee Games, A23, and Adda52. These companies supported over 200,000 jobs across various sectors, including development, marketing, customer support, data analytics, and platform management.
Layoffs came quickly, with companies reducing their workforce by up to 80%. MPL laid off 300 employees, Games24x7 cut 400 jobs, Zupee laid off 170, and Head Digital Works dismissed 500 employees, totaling nearly 1,370 layoffs in the first month alone.
Case Study: Ramesh, 38, Bangalore
Ramesh was a senior developer at a rummy platform, earning ₹1.2 lakh per month. With an EMI of ₹65,000 for his home and children attending private school, he was the primary breadwinner for his family.
“I had no time to prepare. My son’s school asked for quarterly fees, and the bank has already called twice about my EMI. I never thought one government announcement could dismantle my entire career overnight,” Ramesh says.
Ramesh, like thousands of others, is now seeking IT service jobs, often at salaries 40–50% lower than what he was previously earning. For many, the gaming ban didn’t just mean job loss—it meant the collapse of long-term financial stability.
Small Stakes Players: Livelihoods Destroyed
While policymakers framed gaming as a mere leisure activity gone awry, for many small-stakes players, it was a vital source of income. Online poker grinders, rummy players, and fantasy sports enthusiasts were making ₹10,000–30,000 a month, helping cover rent, groceries, and school fees in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.
Case Study: Meena, 29, Lucknow
Meena started playing micro-stakes poker after her husband lost his job during the pandemic. She earned ₹15,000–20,000 per month, enough to cover her family’s basic expenses.
“It wasn’t about getting rich. This was my second income. Now it’s gone, and we are borrowing from relatives just to survive,” she says.
Meena’s story mirrors the reality faced by thousands who relied on real-money gaming to make ends meet. Now, they are turning to informal work or relying on loans to survive.
High Stakes Players: Relocation or Exit
For high-stakes professionals, the gaming ban presents an existential dilemma. These players aren’t casual gamblers—they are career professionals with years of experience and international recognition.
Previously, when individual states like Gujarat banned poker, many professionals relocated to states where it was still permitted. The nationwide ban, however, leaves them with no option but to stay within India.
Case Study: Arjun, 32, Delhi
Arjun, a high-stakes poker player, regularly competed in ₹5 lakh buy-in tournaments online and had plans to participate in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Europe this year.
“I’ve built a reputation internationally. If I start playing on shady offshore sites, my credibility and bankroll are at risk. Relocation is the only option, but it means leaving my family behind,” Arjun says.
Arjun is now considering relocation to poker hubs like Malta or London. This “brain drain” of top gaming talent is a consequence of the ban, with India’s brightest forced to seek opportunities abroad.
Impact on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
India’s online gaming business used to get a lot of foreign investment, with global venture capital funds putting in more than ₹25,000 crore. India’s young population, expanding smartphone use, and strong digital payments system attracted investors.
But the prohibition has made investors very unsure. Plans for IPOs have been cancelled, fundraising rounds have been pulled, and foreign investment has been moved to Southeast Asia and Latin America, where the rules are more stable..
Case Study: Priya, 28, Mumbai
Priya was working for a gaming startup that had secured $25 million in funding from a global VC firm, with IPO plans for 2026. The gaming ban put an abrupt end to those plans.
“Our investors told us they couldn’t justify the risk in India anymore. Our dream of going public collapsed overnight,” she recalls. “It wasn’t just about jobs lost—it was the death of innovation.”
FDI brings not just money, but expertise, global best practices, and credibility. With the gaming ban, India risks losing all three.
Ripple Effects: Advertising, Fintech, and Sports
The fallout from the gaming ban is far-reaching. Advertising agencies, content creators, fintech providers, and grassroots sports leagues all relied on the gaming sector.
Case Study: Rahul, 35, Ad Agency Owner
Rahul’s marketing agency relied heavily on contracts with platforms like MPL and Junglee Games, which accounted for 60% of his revenue. After the ban, he was forced to lay off 15 of his 40 employees.
“Gaming was our biggest client vertical. Without it, we’re just trying to survive,” says Rahul.
State sports associations are also facing sponsorship losses, while the government is set to lose an estimated ₹20,000 crore in annual tax revenue from the gaming sector.
Possible Alternatives to a Ban
Some others say that a complete ban is a blunt tool that doesn’t go to the heart of the problem of gaming addiction and fraud. They suggest a regulated system like that in the UK and the US, which strikes a balance between protecting consumers and promoting economic progress..
Key alternatives include:
- Age and Spending Limits – Enforce strict age requirements and spending caps.
- Stronger KYC Rules – Implement Aadhaar-based player verification.
- Taxation and Licensing – License operators and collect taxes transparently.
- Responsible Gaming Programs – Offer tools for self-exclusion and addiction counseling.
- Segregation of Skill vs. Chance – Recognize poker and rummy as games of skill, not chance.
Conclusion: Real People, Real Losses
India’s economy and internet world have been rattled to their cores by the 2025 gaming ban. Families like Ramesh’s are having trouble making ends meet, small businesses like Meena’s are having trouble staying open, high-stakes professionals like Arjun are thinking about moving, and startups like Priya’s are seeing their aspirations come crashing down. The government’s goal may have been good—to reduce crime and addiction—but the way they went about it has caused a lot of people to lose their jobs, investors to leave, and possibly even a brain drain. India could end up paying a lot more in the long run than it gets in the short term if it doesn’t change its approach to include more rules.
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