Dream Sports, the parent company of Dream11, has announced a significant shift in its business model by suspending all paid contests and moving entirely to a free-to-play social gaming format. The announcement came on August 22, just a day after President Droupadi Murmu approved the Online Gaming Bill, 2025, a landmark legislation passed in Parliament.
The new law, officially titled The Promotion & Regulation of Online Gaming Law, 2025, has redefined the gaming landscape in India. It prohibits all online money games — specifically, any game where players deposit money with the expectation of monetary winnings. This regulation is expected to transform the strategies of leading gaming companies in the country, including fantasy sports giants like Dream11.
Even before the Bill received presidential assent, Dream Sports had already started winding down its paid formats. Reports confirmed that Dream Picks, the company’s latest fantasy sports app, had discontinued its “Pay to Play” contests. Similarly, its casual real-money gaming app Dream Play has also switched to a completely free model, offering only social versions of games like online Ludo.
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Founded 18 years ago, Dream Sports has seen exponential growth, evolving from a small sports-tech startup into the world’s largest fantasy sports platform. Reflecting on its journey, the company noted how, when Dream11 was launched, the Indian fantasy sports industry was barely one per cent the size of the U.S. market.
See you in our second innings. pic.twitter.com/oEfBNiC4dd
— Dream11 (@Dream11) August 22, 2025
Today, it stands as a global name in fantasy gaming, powered by the vision to “Make Sports Better.” In its official statement, the company emphasised its compliance with the new law while expressing disappointment that progressive regulations could not shape the industry’s future.
“This morning, we stopped all paid contests on Dream11 and pivoted entirely to a free-to-play online social game. While we believe progressive regulations would have been the right way forward, we will respect the law and comply fully with the Online Gaming Law, 2025,” Dream Sports said.
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Looking ahead, the company highlighted that it is fortunate to have a diverse sports-tech portfolio, including FanCode, DreamSetGo, and Dream Game Studios, as well as the Dream Sports Foundation. These ventures will continue to support its long-term ambition of helping India emerge as a global sporting superpower, in alignment with the government’s vision.
Concluding its message, the company hinted at a new chapter in its journey: “See you in our second innings.”
