In 2025, India’s esports ecosystem gained further legitimacy through the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act (PROGA), a legislation that banned betting platforms and real money gaming while reinforcing esports as a competitive sport.
With the act now moving past its policy stage into implementation, India’s esports stakeholders reacted to the prospects in 2026 as the world’s most populous country continues its economic development.
“For Indian esports to truly level up in 2026, the focus has to shift from being largely event-led to ecosystem-led,” said Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming.
“Regional and state-level competitions that consistently feed into national leagues will be crucial to widening the talent pipeline and ensuring competitive players emerge from every part of the country.”
Rathee also emphasised the need for the country to diversify the gaming titles that currently dominate esports viewership.
“While BGMI and Free Fire remain important, long-term growth will depend on deliberately building ecosystems around a variety of titles. Equally important is developing more India-relevant and Indian-published titles that are esports-ready from day one.”
Development of New Talent
2025 was another monumental year for Indian esports, as it was the first time Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) joined the global PUBG Mobile esports ecosystem in nearly four years. This happened through Indian slots being given at PUBG Mobile’s World Cup (PMWC) as well as the global championship (PMGC).
For BGMI’s continued development, recognising and developing new talent is important for the growth of the ecosystem.
“India already has the passion and numbers,” said Animesh Agarwal, Co-founder and CEO of S8UL Esports. “What will differentiate us globally is how early we spot talent and how well we support players once they enter the system.”
The development of talent is also crucial in the context of upcoming international sporting events, such as the 2026 Asian Games, where esports is a medal category.
Despite the high number of gamers, India’s ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) still remains low. According to a report by Lightbox, India’s ARPU is $3.03 compared to China’s $68. Monetisation patterns, however, are continuing to evolve.
“Spending is shifting towards systems that reward commitment, whether that is battle passes, cosmetic progression, or subscription-based models,” said Sagar Nair, Head of Incubation at LVL Zero.
Currently, the Battlegrounds Mobile India Series (BGIS) is underway, where teams have to make it through open qualifiers to the LAN event in March. The game’s rival Free Fire MAX, on the other hand, has announced a cricket competition with creators called the BOOYAH Premier League.
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