A significant development in the regulation of online gaming in India occurred in 2022 when the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITy) established a set of comprehensive regulations on online gaming. The 2022 regulations brought major changes to multiple online gaming platforms, which included Dream11 and other popular online gaming sites. The promotion of Dream11 as a skill-based game does not properly fulfil the true need due to the numerous state and new national regulations that restrict fantasy sports platforms that are designed to prevent gambling, financial harm and addiction.

Before there was a national regulatory framework, numerous states in India had virtually banned and/or strictly limited the operation of real-money online fantasy games. States such as Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Assam, Odisha and Tamil Nadu have taken very strong enforcement actions against the use of fantasy sports for a fee. In those states, individuals who entered a fantasy sports contest were not allowed to pay an entry fee or receive a monetary prize. The primary reason for this was that the law in those states classified real-money online fantasy sports as gambling.

Due to the new Online Gaming Bill, there was now a more uniform approach to regulations concerning online gaming throughout the Country. This law was implemented with a focus on limiting or prohibiting any of the online gaming platforms that provide an opportunity for players to participate in activities involving real money, whether those platforms were categorised as games of skill or games of chance.

With this change in law, Dream11’s paid contest offerings faced legal lawsuits across the country. Some states had previously granted limited and licensed access to Dream11’s paid contests, but under the new broader digital gaming framework within the country, those state permissions or approvals were now void.

Sikkim and Nagaland had previously allowed online gaming under strict licensing and limited geographic access; however, once the new regulations were enacted, those states created additional rules and regulations that now make it impossible for platforms like Dream11 to operate its paid contest business legally.

As of January 2026, there are no Dream11 customers within India who can participate in a real-money contest. Dream11 may continue offering customers free-to-play tournaments and practice games, and these products are allowed under the current gaming laws because they do not involve any money. However, in most areas of the country, Dream11 will not be able to offer cash prizes or allow for paid entry into a free-to-play league or tournament.

The overall trend of increased regulatory scrutiny on gaming content has led to more comprehensive Consumer Protection Acts and clearer, more readily understood laws; however, it has also resulted in fewer ways for users to monetise their video games. These changes have created a need for video game publishers to come up with innovative ways to generate revenue from their games and, in addition, have pushed game developers to consider free-to-play game distribution systems, alternate sales channels for game products outside their geographic area and ways for gamers to trade their used games with each other.

Overall, the multiple bans placed on the Dream11 platform within several states, along with the national ban on Dream11, illustrate India’s cautious approach regarding online gaming. In addition to responsible gaming, there is also a large emphasis on preventing financial harm to users, as well as increased regulation of online gaming platforms in India.