Dream Sports, the parent company of fantasy sports platform Dream11, has witnessed the departure of more than 100 employees after a major internal restructuring triggered by India’s ban on real-money online gaming in August 2025. The regulatory shift forced the company to rethink its business structure and significantly reshape its workforce.
Following the disruption to its core fantasy gaming model, Dream Sports reorganised its operations by splitting the business into eight smaller startup-style units. The company redistributed a large portion of its workforce to these newly- created verticals. Around 700 employees were moved into these startup teams based on their expertise and experience. However, roughly 15 per cent of those reassigned eventually chose to leave the company, either to join larger organisations or pursue entrepreneurial opportunities.
The restructuring came after the gaming ban severely impacted the company’s business. The new law prohibited online games where users deposit money with the expectation of financial winnings. This rule effectively dismantled the revenue model of fantasy sports platforms. As a result, Dream Sports reported that its flagship platform Dream11 now requires fewer than 200 employees as it transitions into a broader sports entertainment platform.
Despite the exits, the company says its overall attrition level has only slightly increased from the roughly 10 per cent turnover it experienced before the policy change. The firm currently employs close to 950 people across its various units and has paused new hiring while focusing on retaining key talent.
Dream Sports’ new structure includes several ventures beyond fantasy gaming. These include sports content platform FanCode, sports travel service DreamSetGo, cricket gaming platform Dream Cricket, and the artificial intelligence initiative, Dream Sports AI.
Founded in 2008 by Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth, the company was last valued at about $8 billion in 2021. The wider gaming industry has also faced turbulence after the regulatory change, with several gaming firms cutting jobs as revenues declined sharply.
