Massive layoffs alert! India’s popular gaming giant, Mobile Premier League (MPL), is about to shock its employees and the gaming world by cutting down a staggering 60% of
Massive layoffs alert! India’s popular gaming giant, Mobile Premier League (MPL), is about to shock its employees and the gaming world by cutting down a staggering 60% of its workforce in India following the government’s recent ban on real-money gaming.
In a bombshell internal email leaked to Reuters, MPL co-founder Sai Srinivas Kiran confirmed the painful decision to drastically downsize its India team, which forms the backbone of the company’s revenues. India contributed a whopping 50% of MPL’s total revenue, and with the new legal restrictions, that income stream has dried up almost overnight.
MPL’s India staff, estimated to be around 500 to 600 employees, will see nearly 300 people lose their jobs as the company braces for a reality with no near-term revenue from its biggest market.
MPL isn’t just about fantasy sports anymore — it’s a multi-category gaming platform with offerings like action, adventure, and more. Yet, the real-money gaming ban has forced the company into a tight corner.
The company had already shut down its sporting merchandise sales by FY23, signaling the start of a strategic pullback.
With India contributing 69% of MPL’s revenue in FY24, this is a massive blow. The company plans to pivot towards free-to-play games and focus more on international markets like the US and Brazil, where paid real-money gaming remains legal.
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, which recently got President Droupadi Murmu’s assent, bans all games involving financial stakes, whether skill-based or chance-based. This crackdown aims to curb addiction and financial losses but is sending shockwaves across the rapidly growing Indian gaming ecosystem.
MPL’s layoffs come on the heels of similar moves by other major players like Dream11, PokerBaazi, and Zupee, all of whom have halted their real-money operations.
If you’re an MPL gamer, employee, or investor, brace yourself for major changes. The company’s pivot to free-to-play games means you might soon see new gaming formats and features but without the option to play for cash.
For India’s burgeoning gaming talent pool, this could mean job losses and fewer opportunities in real-money gaming sectors.
With backing from investors valuing the company at over $2 billion, MPL’s shift to international markets and free gaming is a bet on survival. However, the loss of India’s massive revenue pool is a significant hurdle.
Will MPL reinvent itself and thrive in the new gaming landscape? Or is this just the beginning of a tough road ahead?
