Online fantasy sports gaming (OFSG) is a skill-based online gaming platform where sports lovers can make their own team by picking real-life players from upcoming matches. OFSG platforms have a wide array of sports including, but not limited to, cricket, football, and kabaddi. These fantasy teams earn points based on the on-field performance of players during the live match and winners are declared accordingly.

 

In India, the fantasy sports industry has witnessed a vast amount of transformation since its first launch.

 

Among all the sports, fantasy cricket is quite a famous fantasy sport in India. In a nation like India, cricket is a religion and Indians are ardent followers.

 

According to a study conducted by International Cricket Council (ICC), Cricket has over 1 Bn fans globally, with the Indian subcontinent alone constituting more than 90 percent of them.

 

But with the inception of other sports leagues as well in India, other fantasy sports are also gradually gaining popularity in India.

 

 

Factors behind the significant rise of Fantasy Sports in India

 

Arise of Sports Leagues

 The emergence of a wide array of sporting leagues in India over the past few years (e.g., football, kabaddi, badminton, basketball) has enhanced opportunities for fantasy sports users to engage in fantasy sports.

 

As per BARC Nielsen, Indian Premier League 2020 broke its viewership records with a jump of 28% in viewership as compared to IPL 2019.

 

Indian Premier League is the element that acts as a catalyst for the popularity of fantasy cricket in India. IPL is not just a normal cricket league. It is an action-packed cricket event where Indians get to see thrilling clashes, fun, and emotion. Cricket fans love to watch various matches Live and on TV. And with fantasy cricket platforms, the enjoyment level gets multi-fold. Now they too can play virtual IPL cricket matches by leading the team. And get a chance to win cash prizes, if their teams win.

 

Apart from IPL, other sports leagues are also becoming part of the sports ecosystem in India.

 

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Eminent sports players as Brand Ambassadors

 Many big names in Indian cricket are part of various fantasy sports platforms. MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Hardik Pandya, are among the famous cricket players who have signed up as the brand ambassadors by various fantasy gaming platforms such as Dream11, My11Circle, MPL, MyTeam11, and many more. This has played a pivotal role in making fantasy sports popular in India.

 

With the advent of non-cricket sports leagues in India, other fantasy games such as fantasy football, fantasy kabaddi and many more will come into the picture. In the recent past, Sunil Chhetri, India’s football captain, became brand Ambassadors of Twelfth Man, a fantasy football gaming platform in India.

 

Key Collaborations of Fantasy Sports Platforms with Sports Leagues

The collaborations with different sports leagues have also boosted the segment. Some of the key fantasy sports platforms such as Dream11, MyTeam11, MPL, have made partnerships with official sports leagues as their fantasy sports game partner.

 

Dream11 is the Official Fantasy Partner of the ICC since 2018. Last year, Dream11 won the title sponsorship of IPL2020.

 

MyTeam11 has collaborated with Pro Volleyball League (PVL) to be the Official Fantasy Partner for the opening seasons.

 

Mobile Premier League (MPL) has announced that it has come on board as the principal sponsor for KKR on a three-year sponsorship deal.

 

TV Advertisements

 Making TV advertisements with popular sports players for promoting fantasy sports is another key factor for the rise of online fantasy sports in India.

 

Increased Support from Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

 The consistent evolution of the fantasy sports niche in India has been very well supported by various noted investors in some of the popular fantasy sports platforms.

Lots of well-known venture capital and private equity firms such as Kalaari Capital, Tiger Global Management, Kae Capital, and many more, have been the leading sources of funding to OFS startups in India.

 

Efforts Towards Single Self-Regulation by NITI Aayog

 Indian think-tank body, NITI Aayog is now working on the fantasy sports sector. NITI Aayog is calling for a single self-regulatory body for fantasy sports. Various players of the fantasy sports market in India such as Dream11 and Games24x7 (which runs My11Circle) have appreciated the move. This effort has given a further boost to this rising sector. The move would increase the credibility of this sector.

 

Evolution in Digital Infrastructure

The transformation in digital infrastructure in India has led to the availability of high-speed internet for Indians. This has facilitated sports lovers to play fantasy sport on a handheld device irrespective of location. This transformation in infrastructure has remarkably helped the fantasy sports sector to enhance its user engagement.

 

Wrapping Up

 In the past couple of years, the OFSG market in India has seen remarkable growth. The fantasy sports operators have increased by close to seven times in the recent past, whereas the fantasy sports users have also increased by 25 times. With technological advancement, this online gaming market is likely to expand more.

 

If you want to be part of this remarkable market, build your own fantasy sports platform. Appinop is here to help you out in starting your entrepreneurial journey by transforming your idea into a fully functional fantasy sports platform.