Leading with purpose creates wins for consumers, community and country: Hina Nagarajan of Diageo India

'Largest employer in the world is inefficiency': CRED's Kunal Shah at Storyboard18 Global Pioneers Summit

Unheard tales of Maggi’s redemption: How poetry and nostalgia revived an iconic brand

Content creator Raj Shamani’s journey: Prioritizing substance over virality

MIB’s Ashwini Vaishnaw at Storyboard18 DNPA Conclave: Govt working for fair compensation for media houses

Nobody’s Perfect Retro Porsche Ad

In Conversation With Raja Rajamannar, Mastercard

Shahid Kapoor And Varun Ganjoo Speaks On PokerBaazi's Campaign

In conversation with IHCL’s Puneet Chhatwal & GroupM’s Kate Scott-Dawkins

Why are brands including e-sports in their sports marketing itinerary?

Storyboard18 x The English Nut: How to pronounce these 10 brand names

Experts' Take On Reinvention Of Ad Campaigns Through Technology

Experts Speak On Key Emerging Trends In Cannes Lions Entries

Leaders of the future have to be outstanding human beings: Nestle MD

In conversation with VMLY&R’s Hari Ramanathan

Leading gaming companies made a case that games of skill, even when played for stakes, should not fall under the legal definition of gambling, in a high-profile hearing before a bench of the Supreme Court. The bench, comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan, heard arguments that drew upon decades of legal precedent and constitutional interpretation. 

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/scintilla-of-skill-argument-returns-as-gaming-companies-challenge-govts-stance-in-sc-64900.htm">Read more: ‘Scintilla of Skill’ argument returns as gaming companies challenge govt's stance in SC</a>

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/gaming-news/breaking-supreme-court-hears-centres-seven-sutras-on-gambling-in-online-games-64712.htm">Read more: Breaking: Supreme Court hears Centre’s ‘Seven Sutras’ on gambling in online games</a>

On May 8, appearing on behalf of gaming platform Gameskraft, senior advocates Gopal Sankaranarayanan and Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi contended that Indian jurisprudence has consistently upheld a clear distinction between games of skill and gambling. Dr. Singhvi walked the court through a series of landmark rulings, asserting that the presence of stakes does not alter the fundamental nature of a game rooted in skill.

He further noted that references in the Satyanarayana judgment, often cited in gambling-related cases, pertain not to rummy itself but to ancillary activities such as third-party betting. "Chess, rummy, bridge, these are games that the courts have repeatedly acknowledged as skill-based," Dr. Singhvi said.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/gaming-news/breaking-wagering-on-game-of-skill-amounts-to-gambling-and-betting-govt-of-india-tells-sc-64545.htm">Read more: Wagering on game of skill amounts to gambling and betting: Govt of India tells SC</a>

Senior counsel Harish Salve weighed in with a pointed analogy: if placing a bet in a skill-based game qualifies as gambling, then even a friendly round of golf, where the loser buys dinner, would be subject to Goods and Services Tax (GST). Justice Pardiwala responded with a touch of humor, saying the court could swiftly rule that such casual wagers would not fall under GST.

Counsel Dhruv Mehta, representing the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF), also began submissions, highlighting the diversity of online games offered by AIGF’s member companies. Mehta argued that it would be impractical for the court to deliver factual findings on each individual game, suggesting instead that such determinations be left to appropriate adjudicating authorities.

Mehta further explained that gaming firms have been paying GST under Service Accounting Code (SAC) 998439, which explicitly includes internet-based card games. He cited 2023 amendments to GST law that, for the first time, introduced a formal definition for "online money gaming," bringing it within the ambit of “specified actionable claims.”

On May 5, the Supreme Court commenced hearings in this pivotal case that could redefine the legal and economic framework governing a burgeoning online gaming and digital entertainment sectors. Central to the proceedings is a sweeping Rs1.12 lakh crore retrospective tax demand, covering online gaming platforms, fantasy sports companies, casinos, and racecourses, dating back to July 2017.

The bench of Justices Pardiwala and Mahadevan is examining whether games involving real-money stakes, regardless of whether they involve skill, should be classified as gambling under the GST regime.

Proceedings are set to continue on May 9, with further arguments from Mehta and additional counsels.

Gaming GST case: Supreme Court jests as lawyers debate stakes in games of skill

Absolute Sports, a subsidiary of Nazara Technologies and the parent company of Sportskeeda.com, announced today that it has signed definitive agreements, subject to closing conditions, to acquire two IPs, TJRWrestling.net and ITRWrestling.com. 

As per the company, these business assets will be acquired from Titan Insider Digital. These IPs add to the already dominant global position of Absolute Sports in the combat sports publishing industry.

Ajay Pratap Singh, CEO of Absolute Sports, commented, "ITRWrestling and TJRwrestling are two of the most respected voices in the global wrestling community. This acquisition aligns perfectly with our vision to be the leading go-to destination for wrestling content worldwide. It also reinforces Absolute Sports’ dedication to expanding its footprint in the fast-growing U.S. media market through a targeted and impactful M&A strategy."

TJRWrestling and ITRWrestling established in 2009 and 2020 respectively, have built a robust audience base within the wrestling fan community through their high-quality and in-depth combat sports news and content coverage. Together, they currently attract 1.7 million monthly active users and generate 4.6 million monthly pageviews, predominantly from North America. They generated $722K (Rs 6.1 crore) in revenue in 2024.

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/instagram-tops-user-attention-north-india-favours-tinder-gaming-up-by-30-lumikai-64314.htm">Instagram tops user attention, North India favours Tinder; Gaming up by 30%: Lumikai</a>

The transaction, valued at $1.25 million (Rs 10.5 crore), will be an all-cash asset purchase via the company’s U.S. subsidiary, Sportskeeda Inc., and is expected to close within the next 45 days.

This strategic acquisition bolsters Sportskeeda’s position in the combat sports segment and expands its presence in the U.S., home to the world’s largest pro-wrestling fanbase. The integration of these platforms will also create deeper engagement opportunities for fans and advertisers across digital formats.

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/gaming-news/games-24x7-cuts-staff-amid-gst-dispute-industry-turmoil-64843.htm">Games 24x7 cuts staff amid GST dispute, industry turmoil</a>

Nazara’s subsidiary Absolute Sports acquires TJRWrestling.net and ITRWrestling.com

Online gaming company, Games 24x7, has reportedly laid off around 180 employees amid the case pertaining to 28% Goods and Services Tax (GST) on online "learning/skill" games. According to a report by Livemint, citing sources, the laid-off individuals were permanent staff.

Offices located in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, the company hired staff in large volume to boost growth over the past two years. The last headcount of the company was recorded at 821 as of October 2024 as per the data by Tracxn.

The report, citing industry executives said that the layoffs were necessary to reduce the impact of costs in My11Circle, a fantasy sports division. My11Cirle competes with Dream11, which is a title sponsor of the Indian Premier League 2025. The executives told the business daily that IPL sponsorship is a significant cost burden to the company.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/gaming-is-a-new-avenue-for-indias-economic-strength-says-bansuri-swaraj-at-dlf-2025-64393.htm">'Gaming is a new avenue for India's economic strength,' says Bansuri Swaraj at DLF 2025</a>

Games 24x7 is backed by Tiger Global Management, The Raine Group, Malabar Investment Advisors, and Das & Co. 

'Layoffs at Indian gaming industry'

India's online gaming sector, with a size of around $3.7 billion, is facing the double-edged sword of intense scrutiny by the government and 28% GST on the total entry amount in online games.

Earlier this week, the premises of the Supreme Court of India saw the spar between the government and online gaming companies about whether games of skills such as chess and rummy should be categorised as gambling and betting games.

Representing the Union government, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) N. Venkatraman said, they have no issues with games of skills. However, "When a person wagers on the outcome, even in a game of skill, it amounts to gambling".

In contrast, the gaming industry players contested the government's interpretation of Rule 31A of the CGST Rules. The rule mandates a 28% GST on the full face value of each bet, a policy gaming firms argue should apply only to traditional forms of gambling and betting—not to games requiring skill, like rummy, poker, or fantasy sports.

The apex court is expected to conclude the hearing till May 9 but it is likely to be extended.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/gaming-news/breaking-supreme-court-hears-centres-seven-sutras-on-gambling-in-online-games-64712.htm">Breaking: Supreme Court hears Centre’s ‘Seven Sutras’ on gambling in online games</a>

Separately, the government is in the advanced stage of bringing online real money gaming companies under the ambit of anti-money laundering laws. The players will be denoted as "reporting entities" under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

This means they will have to provide information about their clients, including transactions to the Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) under the Ministry of Finance. Additionally, such players will have to maintain a record of all transactions, the identity of their clients, account files, and business correspondence relating to their clients.

In August 2023, the GST Council kept a 28% levy on online gaming. Following this Mobile Premiere League (MPL) laid off around 350 employees. Around the same time, Rush Gaming Universe cut 55 jobs. On the other hand, Quizy shut its operations entirely. 

Despite the upheaval, India’s online gaming user base rose to 48.8 crore in 2024, according to the FICCI-EY Report 2025.

Games 24x7 cuts staff amid GST dispute, industry turmoil

The government is reportedly intensifying efforts to bring foreign digital service providers under the ambit of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). According to a CNBCTV-18 report, this initiative aims to ensure that global digital companies contributing significantly to the Indian market also contribute their fair share to the national exchequer.

The government's focus is on foreign entities offering digital services, such as streaming platforms, online gaming, and cloud services to Indian consumers. These services fall under the category of Online Information and Database Access or Retrieval (OIDAR) services. Under the current GST framework, these services are subject to an 18% tax. However, compliance has been inconsistent, with many foreign providers not registering for GST or remitting the appropriate taxes.

The report stated that the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) has initiated several enforcement measures to ensure foreign digital companies follow Indian tax regulations. These efforts involve urging large Indian businesses, who either utilize these platforms or contribute to their revenue, to provide relevant information and encourage the overseas firms to register under GST.

The DGGI has reportedly urged Indian payment gateways such as Pine Labs, Razorpay, and Cashfree to stop processing payments to foreign firms that haven't registered for GST. Additionally, the tax authorities have started collecting transaction data from banks and the Reserve Bank of India, and are considering data-sharing arrangements with foreign governments.

It is to be noted that the move may cover a wide range of sectors, including cryptocurrency exchanges, online universities, edtech companies, cloud software providers, content platforms, AI tools, design services, online advertising, digital content providers, and cloud storage solutions, claimed the report.

India’s push to bring foreign digital services under its GST framework aligns with global trends, as governments across Europe and other regions seek to tax tech companies that operate across borders but lack a physical presence. Interestingly, such measures have sparked opposition from countries like the United States. Washington has previously argued that these digital tax rules unfairly target American companies, raising the risk of international legal challenges and escalating trade disputes.

Tax authorities crack down on foreign digital firms to enforce GST compliance

Parliamentarian and senior advocate of the Supreme Court of India, Bansuri Swaraj, expressed strong support for the Indian gaming industry at the Storyboard18 Delhi Literature Festival (DLF), highlighting its significant economic potential.

The MP emphasized that the gaming industry could be a major driver for innovation, technology, and economic growth in India. "Seeing the economic potential of gaming as a powerhouse not only in innovation and technology but its potential to be leveraged for strengthening the economic growth of the country," Swaraj said at DLF 2025.

She also praised content creators who promote government schemes and raise financial awareness on social media platforms.

"When I scroll through Instagram reels, I appreciate influencers who create valuable content on topics like government schemes and investments. For instance, reels on Digi Yatra and Digi Locker applications, and those highlighting the benefits of investing in sovereign gold bonds, are particularly useful. I am glad such content is being consumed on social media; supply follows demand."

Bansuri Swaraj, 41, made her parliamentary debut in 2024 after winning the New Delhi Lok Sabha seat, following in the footsteps of her mother, the late veteran politician Sushma Swaraj.

According to Bansuri, India needs more young political leaders to turn Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Viksit Bharat' vision into reality by 2047.

"Politics is not an industry or profession; it's a selfless endeavour focused on the welfare of society," Swaraj said at the DLF.
"Politics empowers you to amplify positive change and make it accessible to the masses. It's never about being the game, or about being played. Instead, it is about rewriting the rules."

Emphasizing the significance of youth, Bansuri noted that they are the country's greatest assets. "With 65% of India's population under 35, Swaraj stressed that the demographic dividend should be leveraged not just as human resources, but also as innovators and entrepreneurs who can harness groundbreaking technologies like AI."

Calling herself blessed in politics because of her mother's revered image, Bansuri added she would ultimately be judged on her own work, projects, endeavors, and vision.

She shared an anecdote about Sushma Swaraj's commitment to her promises. "My mother always had time for everything in her life and was a brilliant time manager."

"One day, she promised to get ice creams for my friends who came for a sleepover," Bansuri recalled. "Despite getting stuck with work and coming home around midnight, she woke us up with Kwality Walls ice cream in a plastic bag. She had stopped at India Gate and bought as much ice cream as she could, determined to keep her commitment."

Bansuri said that the incident left a lasting impression on her.

"I think one should honor their words, whether it is to a child, voter, constituent, people of this nation, family or friends. Most importantly, keep the promises you make to yourself," she added.

'Gaming is a new avenue for India's economic strength,' says Bansuri Swaraj at DLF 2025

At WAVES 2025, Primus Partners along with Game Developer Association of India (GDAI) launched a report “India’s $9.2B Gaming Boom: Powered by 591M Players and AI" which revealed that as AI becomes more integrated into gaming, it collects and analyzes player data to enhance experiences, raising concerns about privacy and ethical use. Balancing AI automation with human creativity is crucial to maintain authenticity and emotional depth in games. Moreover, without diverse datasets, AI systems risk perpetuating biases, underscoring the need for inclusive data practices to ensure fairness in gaming.

AI adoption in India’s gaming startups is on the rise, though still uneven across the ecosystem. NPC behavior (42.2%) leads as the most common use case, followed by enhancing animation pipelines (37.8%), procedural content generation (35.6%), and player personalization (33.3%). Despite these advancements, 1 in 5 startups still report no AI integration, reflecting untapped potential.

The gap highlights the need for greater awareness, accessible tools, and AI-focused talent to accelerate adoption. As games become more immersive and intelligent, AI is no longer optional—it’s a strategic imperative for innovation and growth.

India's gaming startups are increasingly concerned about the legal and ethical implications of AI-generated content. A significant 62.2% are apprehensive about the use of copyrighted material in training datasets, highlighting the risk of infringement claims. Issues surrounding user data privacy and personalization ethics, as well as the potential for deepfakes or misrepresentation, are each cited by 46.7% of respondents.

India lacks a dedicated AI-in-gaming policy, but frameworks like the Digital India initiative and National Strategy on AI promote AI adoption across industries. Gaming-specific laws are evolving, with increasing attention on content regulation, data privacy, and ethical AI usage. Meanwhile, states like Rajasthan, Karnataka, Telangana, and Maharashtra are pushing innovation through startup policies that indirectly support AI-led gaming ventures.

Around 28.9% of the survey participants cited issues such as ambiguous IP regulations, unclear content moderation policies, and inconsistent guidelines across states—factors that create uncertainty for gaming startups in India.

“Fantasy Sports operates at the intersection of sports fan engagement, real-time data processing, and scalable digital infrastructure, making it an ideal playground for fueling innovation in AI. From utilizing AI models to deliver seamless user experiences to creating personalized and immersive gaming interactions, the sector exemplifies how AI can drive innovation in sports. With its deep user base and robust data pipelines, Fantasy Sports is uniquely positioned to advance India’s leadership in AI and sports driven AI," said the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS).

AI has the potential to transform the gaming industry in exciting ways, but it should never overshadow human creativity. Rather than replacing human input, AI should serve as a complementary tool that enhances the creative process. Combining human talent with AI tools can create a more efficient and innovative workflow, where AI can handle repetitive and data-driven tasks, and humans can focus on vision, creativity, and ethics.

The Indian gaming industry, now valued at $9.2 billion and powered by 591 million players, has over 1,900 gaming companies which provides employment to 1.3 lakh professionals, with players like Nazara Technologies, Nodding Heads Games, and JetSynthesys driving AI-led game development. Amid this momentum, AI is now no longer a fringe enhancement but is becoming the core engine redefining how games are imagined, created, and experienced.

Read More:<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/instagram-tops-user-attention-north-india-favours-tinder-gaming-up-by-30-lumikai-64314.htm" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Instagram tops user attention, North India favours Tinder; Gaming up by 30%: Lumikai</a>

Read More:<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/gaming-news/hackers-are-trying-to-create-better-hacks-says-krafton-37717.htm" rel="noopener" target="_blank">'Hackers are trying to create better hacks', says Krafton</a>

Gaming startups increasingly concerned about legal and ethical implications of AI: Report

Lumikai, the media and gaming VC fund, has officially released its consumer survey report titled, “From Swipes to Stories: India’s Interactive Media 
Consumer Unlocked" at WAVES 2025. With a respondent pool representing all geographies and demographics, the report was presented by Salone Sehgal, Founder and Managing Partner, and Aditya Deshpande, Vice President at Lumikai. 


Lumikai’s report reveals how new media platforms are driving a lean-forward, participatory experience, leading to the rise of the new age media consumer. 

Key findings highlighted the growing gender diversity in gaming communities, with 44% of players now being women, up from 41% the year prior. This shift, coupled with the fact that 66% of players hail from non-metro cities, reshapes India’s interactive entertainment landscape, with a broader, more inclusive audience, validating the country's emergence as a tier-2+ interactive entertainment powerhouse. 

• In the South, 77% of users pay for interactive media services, compared to just 51% in the North. 

• Users in South also spend the most time on interactive media platforms (Instagram, Music, OTT etc.) clocking in at 1.6x the baseline usage, compared to 1.3x in the West, and just 1x in the East and North. 

• Social media is the top alternate entertainment category across all regions, with platforms like Instagram dominating user attention. 

• Interestingly, dating apps (such as Tinder) rank as a top three entertainment apps, only in the North, suggesting a unique regional preference for dating platforms there. 

• Gaming now consumes 13 hours per week on average (up by 30% since FY23), nearly double the time spent on social platforms. 

• 99% game on smartphones; consoles and PCs are niche (only 21–30% in any region). Yet, data consumption, ads, and hardware issues are top blockers. 

• Primary motivations for gaming in India are relaxation (75%), social connection (51%), and self-expression (45%), placing gaming on par with music and storytelling as a form of emotional release and creative outlet. 

• Only 32% make in-game purchases immediately after installation. But within a week, 56% of users convert to paid models via microtransactions. 

• Top motivators to pay include unlocking new levels (50%), improving performance (49%), and ad-free experiences (48%). 
 

Read More:<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/special-coverage/kraftons-srinjoy-das-and-ddb-mudras-rahul-mathew-on-how-gaming-has-evolved-into-a-cultural-and-social-movement-60683.htm" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Krafton's Srinjoy Das at GPS 2025: Future of gaming marketing is symbiotic, social, and surprise-driven</a>

Commenting on the report launch, Salone Sehgal, Founder and Managing Partner, Lumikai, said, “One of the report’s most defining conclusions is the evolution of the Indian user from player to creator. Interactivity has emerged as the core currency of engagement, and platforms that enable connection, competition, and expression will lead this next chapter. It is deeply meaningful to have presented the report at WAVES 2025, a global stage that reflects our shared vision for India as a global powerhouse in new media and gaming. It is evident how India is building its own interactive entertainment paradigm where UPI-powered microtransactions meet mobile-first storytelling. With improved access and infrastructure, India’s interactive media market touched $12.5 Bn in FY24, driven by vernacular content, microtransactions, and social gaming experiences that resonate with Bharat's cultural fabric.” 

Doubling down on interactivity as the way forward, Aditya Deshpande, Vice President, Lumikai, said, “The report delineates how the opportunity to build lasting value in India’s interactive media ecosystem lies in building sustainable, culturally resonant models. These are ecosystems where monetization aligns with user psychology, discovery is inherently social, and localization drives depth of engagement. For developers, this means designing experiences that optimize for low-data usage and micro-transactional access. For investors, it means backing models that prioritize long-term retention over viral spikes. And for policymakers, the signal is clear: gaming is no longer peripheral. Interactivity is the language, and systems of play are the engines driving this economy forward.”

Read More:<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/gaming-news/hackers-are-trying-to-create-better-hacks-says-krafton-37717.htm" rel="noopener" target="_blank">'Hackers are trying to create better hacks', says Krafton</a>

Instagram tops user attention, North India favours Tinder; Gaming up by 30%: Lumikai

By Sridhar Muppidi


A $100 billion opportunity knocking on India’s doorstep


India is standing today on the brink of a gaming revolution. With over 550 million gamers, including 175 million paying users, we are no longer just a huge gaming market, we are on track to become the next global hub for gaming innovation.


Yet, the real opportunity is not in playing games made elsewhere, we should be creating them. We should be building the next generation of globally loved games — imagined, designed, and scaled from India. The next PUBG, Genshin Impact, or Roblox could (and should) be born here.


Thanks to our digital strengths - affordable data, a mobile-first generation, and a young, tech-savvy population which has already created a strong foundation for growth. Now, with the right investments in infrastructure, talent development, and global partnerships, India can transition from being a market of gamers to a powerhouse of game creators.


The race is on, and India must lead, not follow.


WAVES: India’s Strategic Debut on the Global AVGC Stage


The launch of WAVES, the World Audio-Visual Entertainment Summit, by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and in collaboration with the Government of Maharashtra, marks India's bold, strategic entry into the global AVGC-XR sector.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/landmark-sessions-at-waves-2025-a-call-for-universal-access-to-media-and-entertainment-63613.htm">Landmark sessions at WAVES 2025: A call for universal access to media and entertainment</a> 


WAVES is more than just a festival, it is India’s declaration of creative leadership. It brings together global investors, studios, creators, and policymakers with an aim to position India as a serious contender in the global entertainment and gaming arena.


At the centre of this movement is the WAVES Game Jam, curated by GDAI- a platform where India's brightest young talents built original, culturally resonant games. It’s a launchpad for the next generation of Indian game developers, with winners gaining access to mentorship, incubation, and career opportunities through GDAI’s ecosystem.


Infrastructure that Inspires: Indian Institute of Creative Technology


For far too long, India's game developers have lacked integrated ecosystems. This challenge has now been met with the recent announcement of the India International Creative Town (IICT), the 240-acre global-scale hub in Mumbai, co-developed by the MIB and the Maharashtra government, which will surely redefine the landscape.


IICT offers not just offices and studios, but also training institutes, incubation centres, co-working hubs, all designed with inputs from leading industry voices. This integrated space will unify India’s fragmented creative industry and allow creators to go from idea to global IP without leaving Indian shores.


With GDAI’s partnership with FICCI, the industry is now fully aligned with policymakers to ensure IICT becomes a world benchmark and not just another infrastructure project.


The Talent Multiplier: Opening India to the World


One thing holding India's gaming rise is the absence of international talent. While our IT sector became a global force by attracting and collaborating with foreign experts, gaming has remained mostly local. While Zynga, Scopely, EA have games owned by their Indian arms, we also have Studios like Ubisoft and Rockstar that run backend operations in India but their core creative leadership is still abroad. It’s time to change that.


GDAI advocates for:


•Fast-track visas for global gaming talent

•Hiring incentives for studios bringing in international creators

•Partnerships with top universities for education and research exchange

The formula is simple- skill transfer + global collaboration will give us world-class IP. India's developers can compete with the best, if given the exposure.


Capital to Scale: Gaming Needs Its FDI Moment


India’s indie and mid-size studios are rich in talent but starved of capital. Gaming must be given the same investment priority that India extended to electronics, manufacturing, and digital services including:

•100 percent FDI permission

•Single-window clearances

•Tax incentives for global gaming investments

This can unleash a wave of capital that drives job creation, IP development, and global exports. This would also encourage international gaming giants to set up full-scale development labs and co-production ventures in India, not just outsourcing arms.


India is poised to attract billions in global gaming investments but policy speed and clarity will determine whether that capital flows here, or to competing hubs like Vietnam or Turkey.


Leveling the Field: Urgent Tax Reforms for the F2P Economy


India’s free-to-play (F2P) developers, who power much of the mobile gaming ecosystem, face an unsustainable tax burden. Between 18% GST and 6% Equalisation Levy on digital ad spends with platforms like Google and Meta, Indian studios pay 24% more than their international competitors for user acquisition.


GDAI has proposed targeted reforms:


•GST input credits for export-focused gaming firms

•Waivers on Equalisation Levy for startups

•Support for Indian adtech platforms to create competitive alternatives

Without tax reforms, India risks a dangerous brain drain and lost opportunity for the country- with studios migrating to more favourable tax jurisdictions.


Skilling for the Future: Making gaming a eational Educational priority


India’s greatest advantage, its youthful population, needs structured, industry-ready education pathways. Today, game development courses are scattered, outdated, or non-existent and are often misaligned with industry needs.


 GDAI’s roadmap calls for:

•Introducing game development electives across IITs, NITs, IIITs

•Establishing 10 new NID-like national institutes focused on gaming and digital arts by 2027

•Developing state-central partnerships to create academic programs for game design, narrative design, VFX, and monetisation training

•Industry aligned curriculum and continuous educator upskilling programs


By formalising gaming education, India can nurture the next generation of creators capable of building globally competitive IPs from the ground up.


To summarise, the 2020s could be the decade when India redefines its place in the global creative economy. WAVES marks the beginning of that journey- India’s declaration that it’s ready to lead, not just follow.


With the right mix of policy, infrastructure, education, and international collaboration, the WAVES initiative can propel India into the league of top gaming nations like the US, China, and South Korea.


India can become the Silicon Valley of game development, a place where stories are told, worlds are built, and the future of play is imagined.


As GDAI, we are proud to play a catalytic role in this transformation, ensuring that every Indian game developer has the tools, access, and opportunity to go global.


Sridhar Muppidi is the chairperson, Game Developer Association of India (GDAI).


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/gaming-news/exclusive-karnataka-govt-to-introduce-whitelist-for-real-money-gaming-operators-62968.htm">EXCLUSIVE: Karnataka govt to introduce whitelist for Real Money Gaming operators</a>

India’s gaming moment: From a nation of players to a global creative powerhouse

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court has brought the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) and several high-profile celebrities under scrutiny for allegedly promoting illegal online gambling platforms. The PIL will be heard by division bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel on April 30.

Advocate Davinder Singh has sought immediate judicial intervention to curb what he describes as the rampant and unchecked promotion of illegal betting apps such as Fairplay, 1xBet, Parimatch, Betway, Stake, Lotus365, and SkyExchange.

The petition (a copy of which is with Storyboard18) states that ASCI, the industry self-regulatory body, is failing to act against misleading advertisements. The petitioner argues that ASCI has not fulfilled its mandate, by allowing celebrity endorsements that glamorize and legitimize these illegal platforms.

The petition states, "ASCI has failed to monitor and take timely action against misleading advertisements promoting gambling in violation of its Code and the Consumer Protection Act".

Citing Sections 21 and 89 of the Act, the PIL demands prosecution and penal action against endorsers, including actors Ranbir Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Esha Gupta, Urvashi Rautela, Jacqueline Fernandez, and singers like Badshah and Karan Aujla. These endorsements, the petition claims, mislead consumers, particularly vulnerable youth, by portraying gambling as safe and rewarding.

“The endorsements create a false legitimacy and have devastating consequences for impressionable audiences,” the petition states. Several tragic incidents have been highlighted in the plea, including student suicides attributed to betting addiction and financial losses incurred on these platforms.

The petitioner has urged the court to direct ASCI to initiate legal proceedings against the celebrity endorsers and to enforce its code of advertising more stringently. The petition also calls on the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to block access to these websites and coordinate with enforcement agencies to investigate money laundering, data privacy breaches, and the misuse of Aadhaar and mobile data.

Petition states, "Whether the inaction or regulatory failure of the ASCI in monitoring and penalizing such misleading advertisements violates its statutory duty under the consumer Consumer Protection framework and its self-regulatory code?" 

The PIL has named ASCI as a respondent alongside the governments of Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh; the Ministry of Electronics and IT; the Enforcement Directorate (ED); and the celebrities in question.

Singh is pushing for the immediate creation of comprehensive regulations to govern advertising and operations of online betting platforms. He further pleads timely enforcement of Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, which allows the government to block public access to illegal online content, and to take decisive action against violators. The petition stresses the public health, economic, and legal risks these platforms pose, and argues for a holistic regulatory framework.

Advocate Davinder Singh, petitioner told Storyboard18, "It is unfortunate that celebrities openly promote betting and gambling platforms without considering its ill effects on the society. ASCI on the other hand is failing drastically to fulfil its duty to report such misleading advertisements." 

Between April and August 2024, ASCI flagged over 700 advertisements from illegal betting and gambling companies and forwarded them to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB).

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/gaming-news/exclusive-asci-to-report-snoop-dogg-backed-gambling-platform-roobet-to-mib-57751.htm">Read More: ASCI to report Snoop Dogg backed gambling platform ‘Roobet’ to MIB</a>

Concerns over surrogate advertising have also been raised. In a letter to MIB Secretary Sanjay Jaju, stakeholders in the Real Money Gaming (RMG) industry highlighted how offshore betting operators such as Melbet, Dafabet, Vegas11, Fun88, and 1xBet are disguising ads under similar-sounding brands like Melbat, Dafanews, Vegas11 Sports News, Fun88 News, and Batery.AI.

In a separate but related development, another PIL was recently filed in the Supreme Court by evangelist K.A. Paul, citing the damaging influence of online betting apps on the country’s youth. That petition calls for an immediate ban on such apps and seeks legal action against celebrities—including popular cricketers and actors from Bollywood and South India—who promote these platforms and allegedly mislead their fans by encouraging harmful behavior.

In 2023, MIB issued an advisory to state chief secretaries to crack down on outdoor advertising by gambling and betting companies. Apurva Chandra, Secretary of the MIB, reiterated previous advisories that prohibit such promotions in traditional media and pointed out a shift toward outdoor channels—hoardings, posters, banners, and even auto-rickshaw branding—as a new way these companies are promoting their services. The letter urged local authorities to take immediate and appropriate action to curb these outdoor ads.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/asci-finds-healthcare-and-illegal-betting-top-violative-sector-in-fy24-32344.htm">Read More: ASCI finds healthcare and illegal betting top violative sector in FY24</a>

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/asci-signs-mou-with-the-online-gaming-federations-to-protect-consumers-against-offshore-betting-ads-57043.htm">Read More: ASCI signs MoU with the online gaming federations to protect consumers against offshore betting ads</a>

Exclusive: PIL filed against illegal betting platforms; ASCI, celebs face scrutiny

The Haryana government's Prevention of Public Gambling Bill, 2025, passed during the budget session in the state's Vidhan Sabha, has cast doubts on the operations of opinion trading platforms in India. These platforms are also currently under scrutiny in the Gujarat High Court. Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) formally urged the Indian government to ban opinion trading apps and websites referring it as 'Digital Satta'. 

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, who also holds the Home portfolio, introduced the Haryana Prevention of Public Gambling Bill, 2025, which aims to prevent and penalize individuals involved in public gambling, operating common gambling houses, betting on sports or elections, and engaging in match-fixing or spot-fixing in sports.

According to the provisions of the Act, “whoever indulges in match-fixing or spot-fixing in sports shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not less than three years and up to five years, and shall also be liable to a fine of not less than Rs 5 lakh.” A subsequent offense could result in imprisonment for up to seven years.

The Act defines a "bet" as “any agreement, whether oral, written, or otherwise, between two or more parties regarding the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event—past, present, or future—whose outcome is unknown to any or all of the parties at the time of the agreement, where the party making an incorrect prediction must pay or forfeit a stipulated consideration to the other party or parties involved, either monetary or non-monetary."

Interestingly, this definition of "bet" closely mirrors the format used by many opinion and sports trading platforms operating in India. However, under Section 1(3) of the Act, “It shall come into force on such date as the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette.” It remains unclear when the state government will enforce the Act, which could effectively ban opinion trading platforms in Haryana.

Congress MLA Aditya Surjewala criticized the Act, calling it “deeply flawed” and arguing that it lacks clarity on the definition of betting. He also pointed out that gaming instruments such as boards, cards, and dice are not adequately defined, and demanded that the Act be referred to a Select Committee for further review, citing similar laws enacted in other states.

Experts argue that the lack of clear regulations for opinion-based gaming creates a gray area that both players and platforms continue to exploit. While opinion-based games appeal to a wide audience and generate substantial revenue, their similarity to wagering and gambling poses challenges for the broader real-money gaming (RMG) industry. It is critical for the government, especially the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), to establish comprehensive guidelines to address these concerns.

Additionally, the Supreme Court of India recently reinstated a petitioner’s case seeking a ban on opinion trading apps. The Supreme Court bench strongly criticized the Gujarat High Court for dismissing the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) merely because a similar case was pending in the Bombay High Court, without adequately considering the merits of the matter.

In Sumit Kapurbhai Prajapati v. Union of India & Others, a special leave petition challenging the Gujarat High Court’s refusal to hear the PIL was taken up by a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan. The Court ultimately granted leave and reinstated the petitioner’s case in the Gujarat High Court, preserving all rights and contentions of the parties involved.

Previously, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) formally urged the Indian government to ban opinion trading apps and websites. In a letter addressed to Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, and Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry, CAIT emphasized the serious risks posed by these platforms, describing them as a form of "digital satta" (online gambling).

CAIT also raised grave concerns about the potential impact of these platforms on India's democratic processes. The letter warned that prediction-based opinion trading platforms allow users to bet on election outcomes, thereby posing a threat to electoral democracy. Given the widespread reach of these platforms, CAIT cautioned that they could influence public opinion and undermine the integrity of democratic institutions.

GAMING