Fantasy sport in India

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Last edited August 14, 2023


Fantasy sport came in India in later half of 2010s. Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS) is national federation of this sport in India.

India have many fantacy mobile gaming or Fantasy sport apps such as Dream11, My 11 circle, Mobile Premier League (MPL) etc. This is a type of virtual entertainment and deemed as highly addictive. They advertise themselves as mobile fantacy, skill based game apps. The fantasy gaming industry is worth of millions of dollars in the country. Play Store does not allow these apps on their platform for download, thus people who want to play them download them from their websites. To attract people these apps sponsor sports leagues.[1][2] and advertise through cricket players, film actors for endorsing. They also advertise by Google ads, YouTube channels and by multiple online streaming platforms. Indian fantacy sport apps claim to be skilled based games and not a Betting apps or platforms. But many state government has challenged their this claim in courts across India.[3]

Various apps advertise that their some users earned lakh, crore rupees on their app. Government of India does not have any regulation, control on these apps. As per Google Play Store, these apps are gambling apps and violates Google's anti-gambling policy that's why they banned Mobile Premier League, Dream 11 etc. from their platform. In September 2022, Google Play allowed some gambling, casino apps on their platform.[4] In October 2021, Karnataka banned fantacy gaming apps, in February 2022, Karanataka highcourt lifted it.[5] In October 2022, Tamil Nadu also banned them, in judgement judge said that, These apps are ruined many families, by indulging people into gambling.[6] The fantasy Sport apps or fantasy sport can be addictive and lead to financial losses. Telangana, Assam, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, and Nagaland have a complete ban on these type of online games. As per FIFS their member companies do not allow people below 18 to play in their platforms. FIFS is founded by one of this nations leading fantacy sport app Dream11. These apps use KYC (Know Your Customer) guidelines as per FIFS. But The Times of India found that it not true, many apps only ask KYC when user withdraw money and gae verification is done by user which can be false.[3]

According to a 2022 report of NITI Aayog, fantasy sport is estimated to attract 10,000 cr rupees foreign direct investment in India in the next few years. As per Deloitte's report in same year, the Indian fantasy sport industry is worth 34,000 cr. and it has 13 cr users. As per News18.com, Online Fantasy Sport Platforms (OFSP) are likely to benefit small, less popular sports in India. In addition to cricket, these apps allow the creation of teams in other sports which are not as popular as cricket, such as field hockey, association football, and kabaddi. Since performance in fantasy sports requires one to be relatively well-versed in the nuances of the sport in question, the addition of hockey, kabaddi, football, and other sports in OFSPs increases the interest in and consumption of these sports.[7]

Advertising guidelines[edit | edit source]

These fantacy gaming apps claim to give real money to users if they won, but they not use to tell audience through ads that you could lose money, suffere financial losses. In November 2020, Information and broadcasting ministry of India's Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) created some guidelines for 'fantacy gaming apps' doing business in India, such as:

  • No fantasy app will show under 18 person playing the game or can not suggest that under 18 can play it .
  • Every fantasy gaming app, which involve transactions of real money should showcase a disclaimer with ad, it should occupy 20% are of ad's space. If it in audio visual format then have to play voice in normal talk speed. The ad should carry this disclaimer - “This game involves an element of financial risk and may be addictive. Please play responsibly and at your own risk.”
  • Ads should not suggest, promote “Online gaming for real money winnings”as an income opportunity or an employment option.
  • Fantacy gaming apps's Ad should not suggest person engaged in gaming activity is in any way more successful as compared to others.

Guidelines Ref - [8]

In 2020 Information and Broadcasting ministry (I & B ministry) said that it has concerns over such ads and that they could be misleading folks and audience, and are not in accordance to the stringent rules and regulations of the Consumer Protection Act of 2019 and Cable Television Act of 1995.[9]

Incidents of losses, Critisism[edit | edit source]

In 2019 a person named claimed in a article published by Outlook that he attracted to Dream11 apk of fantasy game when saw an ad on social media, download and played with 50,000 rupees and in just 2 games lost 24,000 and 26,000 rupees respectively in two days. He expressed that activities offered on fantacy game 'Dream 11' were not based on game of skills but game of chance and amount to gambling under 'Gambling Act'.[10]

Fantacy gaming platforms are notorious for sending spam sms to the people, and ask download the app, make a team, app signing bonus, crores of winning amount. In November 2022, Community social media platform LocalCircles conducted a survey, which recived 33,000 responses, in the survey many tagged 'fantacy sports' as online gambling, 91% seek ban on their sms publicity. The survey notes that the owners of fantasy gaming apk or platforms claim their apk- game is 'Game of skills' but most of the Indians belive that it is a 'Games of chance' and thus involves financial risk. Nearly 2 out of 3 respondents ticked Online fantasy sports as 'Gambling'.[11]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "Dream11 is new IPL 2020 title sponsor with winning bid of Rs 222 crore". www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ↑ "Mpl sports". www.mpl.com. Retrieved 2022-11-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "How fantasy sports apps are fuelling gambling addiction". www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ↑ Bhargava, Yuthika (2022-09-08). "Google plans pilot programme on 'gambling' apps". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
  5. ↑ "Karnataka HC Takes Down Online Gambling Law; Big Relief for MPL, Dream11 And Other Fantasy Games". News18. 2022-02-14. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  6. ↑ "Tamil Nadu Moves Towards Banning Online Games of Chance and Gambling". Deccan Herald. 2022-10-19. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  7. ↑ "Fantasy Sports Industry Has Got an IPL Boost but It Needs a Coherent Policy Going Forward". www.news18.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ↑ Standard, Business (2020-11-24). "Ctrl-Alt-Del: Advertising council to misleading online gaming ads". www.business-standard.com. Retrieved 2023-04-04. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  9. ↑ "Run Disclaimer With Fantasy Sports Advertisements: I&B Ministry to Media". www.news18.com. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  10. ↑ Web desk, Outlook (14 May 2019). "Dream11: 'Skill? Rubbish. It's Sophisticated Gambling', Says A Loser". Outlook. Retrieved 4 April 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ↑ "Most Indians tag fantasy sports as online gambling, 91% seek ban on SMS publicity: Survey". Money control.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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