(Commonwealth_India) In a country where smartphones are everywhere and cricket is practically a religion, online gaming has quietly become a daily habit for millions of Indians. From fantasy sports leagues to card games like rummy and poker, people of all ages and backgrounds have been logging in, competing, and sometimes winning real money. For many, it’s not just entertainment; it’s a passion, a skill, even a livelihood. But all of that changed almost overnight.
Last week, the Indian government passed a sweeping ban on real-money online games, a decision that has left the industry stunned and users confused. Now, A23, one of the country’s largest and most well-known gaming platforms, is fighting back.
In a legal petition filed with the Karnataka High Court, A23 is challenging the ban, arguing that it unfairly targets games of skill, not chance. And that difference, the company says, is everything.
“This law doesn’t just hurt business, it criminalizes something that millions of Indians do every day for fun, for competition, and sometimes even to support their families,” said a person familiar with the company’s stance.
A23’s games, rummy and poker, aren’t new to India. In fact, they’re part of the country’s social fabric, played in homes during festivals, family gatherings, and lazy Sunday afternoons. However, the government has suddenly equated these online games, particularly those with entry fees and prize pools, with gambling. The company argues the distinction is not just a legal error; it’s a moral one.
In its court filing, A23 described the new law as “state paternalism,” a heavy-handed attempt to make moral choices for people who are fully capable of making their own. They’ve asked the court to strike down the law, at least in cases where skill is involved, as unconstitutional.
While the filing itself hasn’t been made public, it marks a crucial turning point:A23 is the first company to stand up and say, “This isn’t right.”
The backdrop to all these developments is a booming gaming industry that was just getting started. India’s online gaming sector was on track to be worth $3.6 billion by 2029. It had the backing of major global investors like Tiger Global and Peak XV Partners. More importantly, it had the hearts of millions of everyday Indians who saw it as a way to relax, connect, and sometimes even earn. Now, that future is suddenly uncertain.
Big names such as Dream11 and Mobile Premier League (MPL) have already discontinued their real-money games. And unlike A23, they’ve decided not to challenge the ban. For MPL, the pivot is toward free-to-play games—entertainment without stakes. Unauthorised to speak publicly, a senior source at the company told Reuters they don’t think fighting the law is worth it. Instead, they’re hoping to adapt and survive.
Dream11, a household name thanks to its cricket-focused fantasy leagues and big celebrity endorsements, is also choosing to move forward without a legal battle. But CEO Harsh Jain has been candid about the damage. “Ninety-five percent of our revenues disappeared overnight,” he admitted in an interview earlier this week. Still, the company is looking ahead, promising to reinvent itself with a focus on AI and the creator economy.
The government, for its part, isn’t hiding its intentions. It has long expressed concerns that real-money games are addictive and harmful, especially for younger users. When the law was announced, officials said they were acting against what they called “social evils”.
But that language stings for many in the industry. They argue that such a sweeping label brushes aside the nuances, the safeguards, the technology in place to protect players, and, perhaps most importantly, the idea that people can make responsible choices.
For players like 27-year-old Rahul from Pune, who’s been playing online poker for the last four years, the ban feels deeply personal. “It’s not gambling for me,” he said. “It’s a skill I’ve developed. I study strategy, I follow players from around the world, and yes, I’ve earned money doing it. Why should that be illegal?”
It’s people like Rahul who are watching A23’s legal battle closely, hoping that the court will see the human side of this issue, the players who aren’t addicts or criminals but just regular people engaging in something they enjoy and excel at.
The road ahead is uncertain. A23 is alone for now in the courtroom, but it carries the hopes of an entire industry, one that grew in the open, under regulation, and with the promise of a digital future. Whether that promise still stands now rests in the hands of the court.
For the millions of users suddenly locked out of their favourite games, it’s more than an app. It’s about freedom, fairness, and the right to play.
