MPL to lay off 60% of India staff after government bans paid online games.
Indian gaming platform Mobile Premier League (MPL) will reportedly cut about 300 of its 500 India employees following the government’s ban on paid online games. The layoffs will affect staff across marketing, finance, operations, engineering, and legal divisions, a company source told Reuters.
The ban, announced this month by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, targets paid fantasy cricket, rummy, and poker games, citing financial and addiction risks, particularly among youth. The move has disrupted India’s booming online gaming sector, projected to reach USD 3.6 billion by 2029.
In an internal email, MPL CEO Sai Srinivas said, “With a heavy heart, we have decided to downsize our India team significantly. India accounted for 50% of M-League’s revenues, and this change means we will no longer be making revenue from India in the near future.” He added that the company will provide support to affected employees during the transition.
MPL, which plans to focus on free-to-play games and expand its presence in the US market, has chosen not to challenge the ban legally. Rival Dream11 has also stopped offering paid fantasy cricket, and several other apps providing paid poker and rummy have shut down.
Backed by Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia Capital India), MPL was valued at USD 2.3 billion in 2021, with India revenue last year estimated at around USD 100 million.
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