Esports in India is projected to grow exponentially in 2025. It was projected that the market cap of the gaming industry will be around US$10.06 billion, and it will only rise from here. Having said that, the government of India is also recognizing the contribution of gaming to the economy of the country and is looking to take measures to support the gaming market in the country.
Besides this, game developers are also taking measures to create games that cater to the country and are also setting up servers in the country to comply with the country’s laws. Developers like Krafton, Valve, Riot Games, TiMi Studio Group (developer of Pokemon Unite), and more are working towards shaping the esports scene in India.
Most Popular Esports Titles In India
India has a huge player base in the country. And the number of titles that offer esports opportunities in the country is also huge. Popular esports games in India include BGMI, VALORANT, COD Mobile, and Pokémon Unite. Games like Free Fire Max also have a huge fan base in the country with multiple third-party tournaments getting hosted in the country.
Organizations that have been investing in the growing ecosystem of the country also need to be mentioned since they have a crucial role in supporting the players and providing them with an environment that helps hone their skills and supports them monetarily.
Two of the most popular esports organizations, S8UL Esports and GodLike Esports have been supporting multiple players across multiple titles. In fact, S8UL has also won the coveted “Esports Content Creator of the Year”, presented by Esports Awards for three years in a row. They’re also the only team from India to get partnered with Esports World Cup Foundation’s Club Partner Program.
Both GodLike Esports and S8UL Esports started their respective journeys from mobile gaming but have also expanded into PC games in the quest to make their mark in the niche.
GodLike Esports’ CODM lineup is the best in the country, having been placed second at the 2023 World Championship. Many other organizations like Global Esports have represented India on the global stage.
Government Backs Gaming in India
Over the last few years, the gaming and esports industry has been trying to get the government to set a framework for the growing ecosystem. The Prime Minister of the country, Narendra Modi has considered their pleas and has called for the need to hone the gaming sector in India and develop world-class games in the country, itself.
In several talks over months, PM Modi said, “The gaming world has a big foreign impact in terms of producing the games and earning revenues. India has a big heritage in the area and we can bring lots of new talent to the world of gaming.”
In a previous interaction with a few of the top creators in the country, PM Modi understood the standpoint of the community, the hurdles they faced, and the potential of gaming in a country that has almost 568 million active gamers.
During this interaction, he met Hearthstone player, Tirth Mehta. He is the first esports athlete to represent the country at the 2018 Asian Games. In the same interaction, he also met many gaming creators and experienced their lives by playing a few games on the PC and learning the game.
Besides this, the government is doing a lot to make gaming and esports a household name in the country. This includes a special Create in India Challenge Season- 1, which has the inclusion of gaming. The aim is to motivate developers to make a game that can compete with the world-class games that already exist.
The Esports Federation of India will help host a few esports tournaments at the event so that the country gets to witness what the esports culture in the country looks like.
Tournament Organizers, The Backbone of Indian Esports
The Indian esports system is made up of two types of competitions. One, the official one. They are hosted by the developers of the game and happen only once or twice a year. Second, the ones that are hosted by tournament organizers that have permission from the developers.
These third-party tournament organizers are an essential part of the esports scene in India. Not only do they give the players a place to showcase their talents, and get selected by different organizations, but they also become a place from where the organizations and the players can win an extra prize pool.
Besides this, it also helps the players practice new moves, and strategies and try new things before an official begins.
Esports tournament organizers like Skyesports, The Esports Club, Nodwin Gaming, and Upthrust Esports have been organizing tournaments for titles that aren’t that popular in the country and have been giving the players a chance to play.
In addition to that, they also act as the testing ground for developers to see the game’s traction and audience pull. Skyesports was one of the first tournament organizers to go beyond BGMI esports in the country and hosted titles like VALORANT, CSGO, and Pokemon Unite.
The Esports Club and Nodwin Gaming have also been contributing to the PC ecosystem by hosting VALORANT, CSGO, and R6 tournaments. All of these organizers have worked to uplift the ecosystem in the country, make it more accessible for the people, and have paved the way for aspiring esports athletes in the country.
Nodwin Gaming has also taken BGMI to television and has been broadcasting its flagship Battlegrounds Masters Series on television, taking esports to every household.
Esports Betting in India
Esports in India has been growing and everyone wants to earn money from it. Some people play and some people resort to betting as a way to earn money and yes, esports betting in India is legal. You will have to check the odds and see which games have the best payout to make the most money for yourself.
User discretion is always recommended when betting since always the risk of losing money. Bet on the game on your own accord. Some games you can bet on are Call of Duty, Fortnite, FIFA, NBA2K, and Rainbow Six Siege. Betting is a complex process and money withdrawal can be a hassle at times. To solve that problem, a few players have stepped up to make payments and withdrawals easier.
- Google Pay
- UPI
- Paytm
- Credit/Debit Cards
- NetBanking
- PhonePe
- Bank transfers
While betting, keep in mind the risks and rewards for the sane. So, if you’re still interested in betting in India, you will have to wager on the risk and the potential rewards that come with it. Also, check out our list of betting websites that can be used in India with a small sum.
