Fantasy sports have grown into a multi-billion-rupee industry in India over the past decade, with Dream11 leading the charge as the country’s most popular platform. Millions of sports fans log in daily to create teams, test their sporting knowledge, and compete for cash prizes.
But 2025 has brought a massive legal shake-up. The Indian government has passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, which bans all real-money online games across the nation — including fantasy sports like Dream11.
This law, combined with long-standing state-level bans, has created widespread uncertainty for players and the fantasy sports industry as a whole. In this article, we’ll explore:
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States where Dream11 is banned or restricted
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How the new bill changes the legal landscape
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The reasons behind these bans
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What this means for fantasy sports players in 2025 and beyond
In these states, users cannot participate in cash contests, withdraw winnings, or legally access paid features. Dream11 uses geo-restriction technology to block transactions from these regions.
State-Wise Ban Explanations
1. Andhra Pradesh
In 2020, the state amended its gaming act, banning all forms of online gambling and betting, including fantasy sports. The law treats Dream11 contests as gambling regardless of their skill element.
2. Assam
Assam’s gambling framework is among the strictest. Since its laws don’t separate games of skill from games of chance, fantasy platforms fall under prohibited activities.
3. Odisha
Odisha enforces one of the most comprehensive gambling bans in India. No differentiation exists between offline and online play, making Dream11 cash contests illegal.
4. Telangana
Telangana outlawed all money-based online gaming in 2017 by amending the Telangana Gaming Act. The state views fantasy sports as risky and addictive, so Dream11 remains fully banned.
5. Sikkim
Initially, Sikkim allowed online gaming with strict licensing requirements. However, most mainstream platforms like Dream11 don’t operate under its local licenses, leaving users with restricted access.
6. Nagaland
Nagaland introduced laws to regulate skill-based games, but only platforms with state licenses can operate. Since Dream11 lacks one, real-money contests are not accessible.
