The Indian online play industry has had significant growth. The player base reached 488 million by 2024, with projections showing 517 million gamers in 2025.
Despite India contributing just 1.1% of global play revenue, it comprises almost 20% of the international play community. India has one of the largest player groups on the planet.
With this data-backed article, we’ll take you through more online gaming-related statistics in India, from demographics to the top genres and the latest Online Gaming Bill.
Key Online Gaming Statistics India (2026)
- India had 488 million online gamers in 2024 and is projected to rise to 517 million by 2025.
- Mobile gamers comprised 89.92% of India’s 591 million gamer base in 2024.
- The Indian gaming market was valued at $3.7 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $9.1 billion by 2029.
- India is the world’s and Asia’s biggest mobile game market, with 8.45 billion downloads
- India accounts for 20% of the global gaming market but only 1.1% of the revenue.
- The gaming industry is projected to create over 2 million jobs by 2034.
- Simulation games led downloads with a 22% market share in FY24-25.
- Shooter games generated 50% of all in-app gaming revenue.
How Many People Play Online Games In India?
- The online gaming base in India was approximately 488 million in 2024 and is expected to reach 517 million by 2025.
- Out of these, 155 million engaged in real-money-based games.
- The daily gamer count was approximately 110 million.
(Source: AnimationExpress)
What Is The Online Gaming Industry In India Worth?
- The Indian gaming market is valued at $3.7 billion and is projected to grow to $9.1 billion by 2029, with a 19.6% CAGR.
- The gaming market in India is also expected to reach $60 billion by 2034.
- Currently, India accounts for only 1.1% of the global gaming market, which is valued at $324 billion.
- India represents approximately 20% of the global gaming user base, making it one of the largest player bases worldwide.
- The country accounts for around 15.1% of global gaming app downloads, which translates to approximately 8.45 billion downloads.
(Source: Sensortower)
Online Gaming Top Genres By Downloads
- Simulation games account for 22% of all downloads, a figure that represents more than one-fifth of the total market.
- Arcade games, at 19%, along with puzzle games, at 16%, together account for 35% of downloads.
- With just 3% each, the casino and other genres’ market share is significantly smaller than that of simulation or arcade game types.
| Sr. No. | Genre | Download % (FY2024-25) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Simulation | 22% |
| 2 | Arcade | 19% |
| 3 | Puzzle | 16% |
| 4 | Tabletop | 9% |
| 5 | Action | 7% |
| 6 | Shooter | 6% |
| 7 | Lifestyle | 6% |
| 8 | Racing | 5% |
| 9 | Sports | 4% |
| 10 | Casino | 3% |
| 11 | Other | 3% |
- The shooter game category leads the IAP market, which generates 50% of total in-app revenues. This amount is five times higher than the second-highest category, Casino, at 10%.
- The Strategy and Puzzle genres each contribute 9%, accounting for almost one-fifth of the IAP revenue. This shows a good monetization ability outside of action games.
- The RPG, besides the Tabletop categories, performs poorly, with each category at 2%. They show minimal revenue contribution, which suggests limited player spending, despite players engaging with the games.
| Sr. No. | Genre | Top Genre by IAP Revenue (FY 2024 – 25) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shooter | 50% |
| 2 | Casino | 10% |
| 3 | Strategy | 9% |
| 4 | Puzzle | 9% |
| 5 | Sports | 6% |
| 6 | Simulation | 5% |
| 7 | RPG | 2% |
| 8 | Tabletop | 2% |
| 9 | Other | 7% |
Source: Sensortower
Indian Online Gaming Demographics
- India accounts for 591 million users, representing 18% of the global total of 3,422 million gamer base in 2024. (Source: IGR 2025)
- The 45+ age group comprises just one-fifth of India’s gamer base.
- More than two-thirds (68%) of individuals in the 35-44 age group report familiarity with online games, indicating strong engagement within this demographic. (Source: AnimationExpress)
Indian Online Gamers By Age
- Half of the Indian gaming community is under 30, clearly indicating the youth’s interest in gaming.
- The age group of 31 to 45 comprises 30% of the total gamers in India, which is a 20 percentage point difference compared to the previous age group.
| Sr. No. | Age Group | Share of Gamers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Below 30 | 50% |
| 2 | 31-45 | 30% |
| 3 | 45+ | 20% |
- Familiarity with online games is highest among the 25-34 age group, at 72%. This is seven percentage points higher than the 16-24 group, at 65%. This suggests that online gaming probably has a deeper penetration among slightly older millennials.
- Familiarity drops sharply from 68% in the 35-44 group to just 53% in the 45-54 group. That is a 22% relative decline, highlighting a generational gap.
- The youngest group (16-24, 65%) and the oldest (55+, 38%) have a 27 percentage point difference. The youngest group is nearly twice as likely to be familiar with online gaming as those aged 65 and above.
| Sr. No. | Age Group | Familiarity with Online Games (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16-24 years | 65% |
| 2 | 25-34 years | 72% |
| 3 | 35-44 years | 68% |
| 4 | 45-54 years | 53% |
| 5 | 55+ years | 38% |
Source: AnimationExpress
Indian Online Gamers By Gender
- India’s gamer base is a little skewed, with 56% male gamers and 44% female gamers.
- From 2023, the female gamer base has increased by three percentage points.
- Although the female gamer base is smaller in India, their interest and engagement are greater than those of males.
- Women in India spend 11.2 hours a week playing games, whereas males spend 10.2 hours/week.
- Female paying gamers spend 8.5% more than male paying gamers.
Source: AnimationExpress
Online Gaming Device Preferences
- India is, by default, a mobile-first gaming market. With 532 million mobile gamers in 2024, 90% of gamers in India prefer using their smartphones for casual games..
- PC gamers made up 6.6%, totaling 39 million, while the 20 million console gamers accounted for only 3.38%.
| Sr. No. | Category | 2024 Gamers (in millions) | % of Total Gamers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mobile Gamers | 532 million | 90.4% |
| 2 | PC Gamers | 39 million | 6.1% |
| 3 | Console Gamers | 20 million | 3.5% |
| 4 | Total | 591 million | 100% |
- Reports indicate that mobile gaming is expected to remain popular in India, with approximately 861 million mobile players projected by 2029.
- By 2029, a total of 952 million mobile, PC, and console players will reach close to a billion.
| Sr. No. | Category | 2029 Gamers (in millions) | % of Total Gamers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mobile Gamers | 861 million* | 90.44% |
| 2 | PC Gamers | 58 million* | 6.09% |
| 3 | Console Gamers | 33 million* | 3.47% |
| 4 | Total | 952 million* | 100% |
*estimated
Source: IGR 2025
The Online Gaming Bill 2025
- On 21st August 2025, both the lower and upper houses of parliament (Rajya Sabha & Lok Sabha) passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, imposing a blanket ban on online money games.
- Government estimates show that 45 crore Indians have been negatively impacted, suffering losses of over ₹20,000 crore due to online money games.
- The government blocked 1,524 betting and gambling websites or applications from 2022 to June 2025.
- Under the bill, transgressions are subject to severe punishments. For example, offering or facilitating money games carries a prison term of up to 3 years, along with a fine of ₹1 crore.
- For advertising, the penalty is a prison term of up to 2 years plus a fine of ₹50 lakh.
- Repeat offenders receive a more severe punishment, which includes up to 5 years in prison and a fine of ₹2 crore.
- The transgressions are cognizable but also non-bailable.
| Sr. No. | Offence | Penalty (First Offence) | Penalty (Repeat Offence) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Offering/Facilitating Money Games | Up to 3 years’ imprisonment + ₹1 crore fine | Up to 5 years’ imprisonment + ₹2 crore fine |
| 2 | Advertising Money Games | Up to 2 years’ imprisonment + ₹50 lakh fine | Up to 5 years’ imprisonment + ₹2 crore fine |
Source: PIB
Top Games & Platforms
Here are some key statistics on top mobile games and platforms accessed in India.
| Sr. No. | Game/Platform | Key Metric | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ludo King | All-time downloads | 1.25+ billion |
| 2 | BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India) | Users (2022) | 200+ million |
| 3 | Clash of Clans | Daily active game participation (Global) | 13.10% |
| 4 | Dream11 | User base | 260 million |
- Ludo King dominates India’s mobile gaming as the most downloaded game in FY 2024-25, surpassing 1.25 billion all-time downloads. (Source: Sensortower)
- BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India), developed by Krafton, had over 200 million users in 2022. (Source: IndianExpress)
- Clash of Clans is also one of the most popular mobile games, having 13.1% of daily active game participation globally. (Source: BOA)
- Dream11, a fantasy cricket platform and the largest money game in India, had a user base of 260 million. (Source: MoneyControl)
Top Indian Gaming Companies
- Nazara Technologies, founded in 1999, had a market capitalization of approximately $1.13 billion in 2025. It is one of the few publicly listed gaming firms in India. Its main game remains World Cricket Championship (WCC).
Note: The market capitalization changes daily. (Source: CompaniesMarketCap)
- Established in 2008, Dream Sports reshaped India’s fantasy sports scene with Dream11.
- In 2021, the company secured $840 million in new capital, increasing its valuation to $8 billion and solidifying its position as the country’s leading fantasy sports platform. (Source: Reuters)
- Mobile Premier League (MPL) quickly gained prominence as one of India’s most downloaded gaming apps. Its popularity fueled a valuation of about $2.3 billion in 2021. (Source: TalkEsport)
- Launched in 2006, Games24x7found massive success in real-money gaming through titles like RummyCircle and My11Circle. A $75 million raise in 2022 pushed its valuation to roughly $2.5 billion. (Source: Inc42)
- Best known fr innovating around casual Ludo-based games, Zupee carved a niche in the mobile segment, and climbed to an estimated $600 million valuation by 2022. (Source: Inc42 2)
Indian Gaming Employment Statistics
- The Indian gaming market is projected to create over 2 million new jobs by 2034 if its market share converges with its global share of gamers and app downloads. This is 20x more than the current state.
- In 2022-23, India’s digital economy employed approximately 14.67 million workers, accounting for 2.55% of the total workforce.
- While gaming forms a smaller part of this ecosystem, it’s one of the fastest-growing segments, employing over 130,000 skilled professionals across 1,888+ companies.
- The individuals contribute to gaming in India and other countries.
- The AVGC-XR sector presently employs about 260,000 professionals. By 2032, the industry expects to create 2.3 million jobs in gaming, animation, VFX, and extended reality.
- The Skill India Mission aims to train two million professionals (20 lakhs) for the AVGC-XR sector over the next ten years.
- In 2024, the online gaming industry in India employed over 130,000 skilled gaming professionals. They are working with high-wage & highly productive jobs in over 1888 companies.
Source: IGR 2025
