Mobile Premier League (MPL), one of India’s largest online gaming platforms, is set to lay off nearly 60 per cent of its local workforce, affecting around 300 employees. The decision comes in the wake of the Indian government’s ban on all real-money online games under the newly-enacted Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025.
The legislation, signed into law on 22 August, prohibits any online games involving monetary stakes, regardless of whether they are based on skill or chance. The sweeping move has forced MPL and other gaming operators to suspend their real-money offerings in India, triggering one of the sharpest disruptions the sector has seen.
The layoffs are expected to impact teams a marketing, finance, operations, engineering and legal. MPL’s rival Dream11, valued at $8 billion, has also withdrawn its fantasy sports offerings, while other gaming companies such as My11Circle, WinZO, Zupee, and PokerBaazi have followed suit.
MPL, which was once valued at $2.3 billion and backed by Peak XV Partners, generated close to $100 million in revenue from India last year. With the ban cutting off half of its earnings, the company is pivoting its business model. It plans to focus on expanding free-to-play titles in Europe and paid games in the US and Brazil, while scaling down operations in its home market.
The government has justified the ban by citing concerns over addiction, financial distress, and psychological harm, particularly among younger and vulnerable players. For India’s booming online gaming industry, however, the sudden policy shift marks an uncertain future, with companies now forced to reimagine their growth strategies beyond the domestic market.
