Asia
How the Business of Esports is a Chance to be Grabbed in India
The Indian Esports industry is growing rapidly. Growth and penetration of internet infrastructure along with the accessibility of affordable gaming devices have contributed to the rise of Esports in India. Currently, there are over 150 million esports gamers in India which is expected to grow to 270 million by 2024. Contrary to the statistics of gamers around the world, India has grown into a mobile dominant esports ecosystem due to the increasing interest and ease of accessibility to affordable gaming phones among millennials. With 5g technology on the way, we would see more gamers turning to esports enthusiasts.
If we go by numbers, the Indian Esports industry accounted for 9.13% of aggregated revenue out of the overall online gaming market in FY20 as per the inc42 report. India also saw a huge rise in esports viewership touching 17 million in 2020 which is expected to cross 90 million by 2025.
Business opportunities
From game publishers to end gamers, the whole ecosystem runs at multiple levels which gives a plethora of opportunities for businesses and gamers. Here are some of the possible avenues:
1. Event Organizers:
Esports League IPs are being built for different esports games like PMPL & Free Fire Championship to name a few. Organizing big League events attracts massive participation as well as viewership from gaming enthusiasts and fans of esports entities providing lucrative monetization opportunities with Sponsorship, Media Rights, Ticketing, Merchandise, and more. India has seen brands like Mountain Dew, Poco, Qualcomm, Jio, Intel, and many more sponsoring esports tournaments and teams in recent years.
2. Career Opportunities:
Esports is slowly but steadily turning into a viable career option for many. Esports Athlete as a career has now also become lucrative as multiple Team IPs being launched and new startups are launching their own teams to compete in League events. In addition to that, casters/commentators, video editors, coaches, and streamers, etc. are some great options that you can explore as a career in the Esports industry. Casting Talent/Commentator profile offers the opportunity to talk about the game as it goes on.
3. Professional Team Organizations:
With more leagues and events being hosted we’re seeing esports organizations forming professional teams and coaching them into Esports athletes. Owning an esports team creates an invaluable IP where one can monetize via sponsorships, content, and prize pool.
4. Gaming Cafes
Esports cafes have great potential as they support gamers to play Esports games and tournaments without having expensive and requisite hardware. India has over 350-plus such esports cafes equipped with mandatory infrastructure in place. Recently NVIDIA announced to add up to 100 more cafes to the list.
5. Content Monetization
Esports being a spectator sport attracts millions of players who not only play the game but also watch online gameplay on streaming platforms along with keeping up to date with the latest happenings in esports. With the high demand for quality content, monetization via advertisement and patronage has been the bread and butter of the industry.
Investing in Esports is a Viable Business Option
Esports in India is an opportunity waiting to be grabbed, and a lot is already happening in the space.
Increase in Esports League Prize Pool
One of the key reasons behind the skyrocketing popularity of Esports is the prize money attached to it. Since 2016, the prize money given to the players participating in the leagues and tournaments has increased manifold. This has solely attracted a huge audience base In India to play esports and win big.
Prize pools paid out from Indian tournaments saw an increase of over 180%, from just above $500K USD in 2018 to over $1.5M in 2019 with international events like ESL One Mumbai, COBX Masters, and DreamHack Delhi happening in India. The domestic prize pool surge has been fuelled by the popularity of the games such as Free Fire, PUBG Mobile (now introduced as BGMI), and other multiplayer action or strategy games.
Recent Investments in Esports
As the demand for competitive gaming is growing, venture capital firms and investors are showing interest in investing in Esports. Recently, Krafton has done an equity investment of Rs 154 crore in Nodwin Gaming along with $9 million as seed funding to Loco – a game streaming platform popular among streamers. This shows positive growth and opens the gateway for other VCs and firms to look at investment opportunities in the esports ecosystem in India.
Esports in India: The Way Forward
Esports is already an established industry in countries like the US, Japan, and China. India has the caliber and capacity to become the global leader in Esports, and it is about to explode.
By: Mr. Tarun Gupta, Founder, Ultimate Battle, India’s first-ever one-stop online esports platform.
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The Philippine Senate’s committee on games and amusement is going to launch an inquiry to discuss a series of bills and proposals put forward to address concerns over the growth of online gambling, with the outcome likely to determine whether the industry should be subject to tighter regulations or possibly a total ban.
The inquiry, scheduled to take place from Thursday 14 August, follows the initial filing by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian in early July of a bill seeking to tighten rules around online gaming and specifically around the ease of utilizing e-wallets for cash transactions on online sites. That bill prompted others to push for a total ban, with Philippine President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr since revealing he would consider such a ban pending the outcome of discussions with various industry stakeholders.
“On Thursday we will tackle the bills on online gambling in the Senate committee on games and amusements. I made a commitment to prioritize these bills because the problem is escalating. It’s already a crisis. So, we really need to take action to solve this problem,” Senator Erwin Tulfo, one of the leading proponents of a total ban, said.
“Our problem is, we were not ready. There is no regulation, and it is why people are gambling recklessly. There is no control of up to how much to gamble. Come what may. Entire salaries are being gambled. Anything is being placed as a bet. Even children are gambling now.”
Tulfo revealed that the Senate committee will discuss four bills, three resolutions and a privilege speech addressing the social impact of the online gambling industry – also known as remote gaming or eGames. As reported by PAGCOR, the eGames sector generated GGR of US$2 billion in the first six months of 2025 alone.
Industry stakeholders, including licensed operators, have in recent weeks rallied to opposed a total ban while promising to support the implementation of some restrictions. On Friday, a group of 19 licensed online gaming operators announced the formation of the PlaySafe Alliance of the Philippines – a unified industry association they say is committed to responsible gaming, regulatory compliance, consumer protection and combatting illegal gambling.
The post Philippine Senate to Launch Inquiry into Online Gaming industry appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
MelBet has announced a new partnership with the СPL 2024 Champion Saint Lucia Kings.
As a Principal Partner, MelBet, the iGaming company, will support the Kings on their journey to defend their title during the upcoming season.
Both the platform and the team share the same belief: perseverance and tenacity make champions. Anyone who is inspired by the desire to win, who believes in themselves and never gives up, deserves a reward, and loyal MelBet fans know this better than anyone. As part of the partnership, MelBet will become an integral part of the St. Lucia Kings team, supporting players and fans on their way to victory.
“We’re excited to enter the season with MelBet as our Principal Partner. Their reputation for turning every moment into an unforgettable experience is a perfect match for our team. We’re confident that this partnership will bring us the luck and success we need as we aim for another great season,” said Satish Menon, CEO of Saint Lucia Kings.
“We are absolutely delighted to welcome MelBet as our principal partner for the upcoming CPL Season 13. This partnership marks an exciting new chapter for the Saint Lucia Kings, and we are confident that MelBet’s passion for sports and commitment to excellence align perfectly with our own ambitions. We look forward to a successful season both on and off the field,” said Saurabh Arora, Chief Commercial Officer of Saint Lucia Kings.
The post MelBet Announces New Partnership with СPL 2024 Champion Saint Lucia Kings appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Genting Singapore chief financial officer (CFO) Lee Shi Ruh has been appointed president and chief operating officer (COO), filling a position that had been vacant for three years.
The role was last held by former president and COO Tan Hee Teck, who was promoted to chief executive officer in May 2022.
Lee has now stepped down as CFO, the group announced in a bourse filing on Friday (Aug 1). That role will be taken over by Ang Suat Ching, currently CFO of Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Genting Singapore. Ang will retain her role at RWS.
These changes follow the retirement of Tan, who stepped down as CEO and chairman of RWS in May.
From Jun 1, Lim Kok Thay, executive chairman of the Genting Group, assumed the role of acting CEO, while Lee took on the position of CEO of RWS.
“These appointments reflect our commitment to leadership renewal as the group enters its next phase of growth,” said Lim.
He added that Lee “brings a proven track record of sound decision-making, strategic discipline, and a clear understanding of the group’s long-term priorities, which will be invaluable in her expanded role as president and COO”.
He also noted that Ang’s financial expertise will support the group’s long-term value creation.
The post Genting Singapore Appoints Lee Shi Ruh as its New President and COO appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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