Dream11 announced on Thursday that it is completely abandoning online gaming and transforming into a second-screen sports entertainment platform, marking one of the most dramatic corporate pivots in Indian tech history following the government's ban on real-money games.

The company unveiled a revamped app featuring creator-led watch-alongs, fan interaction tools, and free-to-play fantasy sports, positioning itself as a companion to live broadcasts rather than a gaming destination. The platform went live globally within 24 hours of the announcement.

Forced Transformation After Ban

The shift comes three months after India's Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, which came into force on October 1, eliminated 95 per cent of Dream11's revenue and all its profits by banning real-money games. The law prohibits online money games regardless of whether they involve skill or chance, with penalties including up to three years imprisonment and fines reaching ₹1 crore for operators.

"We are moving away from the gaming piece altogether. We are pivoting hard," co-founder and CEO Harsh Jain told reporters Thursday, describing the new product as a "second-screen dominated experience" that complements live sports broadcasts. The company has restructured from approximately 1,000 employees to around 200 for the core platform, redistributing the rest across eight other Dream Sports properties, including FanCode, Dream Money, and Dream Sports AI.

Despite the upheaval, Jain confirmed no employees would be laid off. "This is still a winning team," he said.

Creator-Driven Revenue Model

The new platform has onboarded 25 curated creators who will host live watch-alongs, integrating match statistics and real-time fan interactions. Users can purchase DreamBucks, the platform's virtual currency, to send shout-outs to creators or pin their comments during streams. Creators will receive the majority share of revenue, with Dream11 taking a commission.

Monetisation will rely on advertising and in-app purchases, with premium tiers planned for later rollout. The company estimates a $10 billion global revenue opportunity in second-screen sports engagement.

The company, last valued at $8 billion in November 2021, has sufficient capital reserves to operate for the next two to three years without additional funding, according to Jain.