PHOTO: Players competing at EWC 2025 (Photo: S8UL Esports)
Esports, by most metrics, has already arrived. It is global, capital intensive and increasingly important to the modern sports and entertainment economy. Countries are building arenas, investors are underwriting leagues, and international events are beginning to reflect the scale of traditional sports.However, in India, esports still lags far behind global standards, even as ambitions and intentions continue to grow.
We didn’t have our moment in ’83 in esports for India
Animesh Agarwal, CEO and Founder, S8UL Esports
“There has to be some Indian team or some Indian player who breaks out, wins a medal for us or wins the world championship… we haven’t had the ’83 moment in esports for India yet,” Animesh Agarwal, CEO and founder, S8UL Esports, tells Timesofindia.com. “Some kid has to go out, a group of kids have to go out and win it for India because that’s what we’re waiting for.”
Scaling India’s Esports Ambition
This search for legitimacy is taking place alongside rapid expansion and increasing global validation. S8UL’s continued inclusion in the Esports Foundation Club Partner Program along with fellow Indian organization GodLike places it among the 40 elite global clubs preparing for the Esports World Cup 2026 in Riyadh, a tournament that will feature over 2,000 players, 200 clubs and a prize pool in excess of INR 700 million.The program itself offers funding, strategic support and international exposure, effectively acting as a bridge between domestic ecosystems and global competition. For Agarwal, the shift is both external and internal.“When we applied for the EWC, we thought, well, we’re testing … maybe running for 2026 or 2027,” he says. “But when we got it, everything accelerated quickly. Our three-year plans had to be covered in one year, expanding from one country to eight different countries, from two esports titles to 14 different esports titles.”
Animesh Agarwal (Photo: S8UL Esports)
The club’s partnership program, which now includes S8UL, has already invested more than $100 million in organizations since 2023, and that global exposure and capital, Agarwal suggests, could be transformational beyond just results.“It unlocks seats at the tables that we covet… it’s a very elite circle to be part of this club program,” says Agarwal. “Nowhere else can you learn more about esports in two months. It’s a real check on your foundation.”In many ways, this ‘check’ is where India currently stands. According to industry estimates, India is one of the fastest-growing gaming markets by users, with more than 500 million players, but still contributes a disproportionately smaller share of global esports revenue and competitive success.
Regulatory reset for much needed clarity
Here at home, the ecosystem is undergoing a different kind of change. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming (PROG) Act, 2025 and its companion Rules, 2026 represent India’s most structured attempt to define the sector. The framework creates a clear distinction between esports and online gambling, introduces a formal registration mechanism for esports titles and establishes a central regulatory body – the Online Gaming Authority of India – to oversee classification, compliance and enforcement.It also mandates security features for users, introduces a two-tier complaint handling system and restricts financial systems from enabling prohibited gaming transactions, creating barriers for both users and operators. For Agarwal, this clarity was overdue.“The Online Gaming Promotion and Regulation Act, 2025 is a positive step forward for Indian esports,” he says. “It brings much-needed structure to the ecosystem and clearly separates esports from online gaming, helping to address long-standing confusion across the space.“For organizations like S8UL, this direction allows us to take a longer-term view – invest in talent, scale teams and build globally competitive structures with greater confidence.”Yet the gap between policy and practice persists.“There are still important gaps,” he adds. “Esports teams and players continue to struggle with uncertainty around financial frameworks… There are still issues with how banks differentiate between esports earnings and real money gaming.“I still face problems from bank partners when we receive an award from a foreign country because they don’t understand esports,” he says. “So before we get into bigger things, we have basic issues.
Inside the esports economy
While the external perception of esports is still evolving, the business model behind it is already clear and systematic.“Content remains the main driver for any esports team or player in India,” says Agarwal. “Next comes the sponsorships… and then the earnings. But each prize fund takes a 50-60 percent cut on average,” he explains. “After tax and splits… a top team can take home 60-70 odd million. So the prize pools don’t really have much of an impact.” But the real benefit lies outside the domestic circuit. “If you go beyond domestic borders and qualify for global events, the prize pools expand exponentially … we’re talking 7x, 8x increases.”This is where global tournaments and programs like the EWC become critical to long-term viability.
Mobile first but not ready for the future?
The identity of Indian esports is also shaped by accessibility. Affordable smartphones and low data costs drove the first wave of adoption, creating audience depth but limiting the breadth of competing formats.“We are from more than 90% of the countries that are mobile-first,” says Agarwal. “And we’re talking about two of the most popular titles being banned… so that’s definitely been holding back progress.”This unbanning of titles like PUBG Mobile and Free Fire did more than slow things down. It also revealed the fragility of an ecosystem heavily dependent on a narrow set of titles.“If you try to go and look for PC players … you can find a group of 10 good players,” he says. “But you can’t have a country with 100 people where only 10 people are good at one particular game. Today’s gaming PCs… I can’t see them costing less than 130-140k,” he adds. “So imagine how difficult the transition will be for us.Globally, however, the competitive center still leans towards PC and console ecosystems from tactical shooters to multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) where infrastructure, access to hardware and long-term training systems. While India’s mobile-first tilt system is commercially viable, it has disconnected from this global meta.
If I am a guy sitting at home.. we don’t have a plan how that person can end up representing India
Animesh Agarwal, CEO and Founder, S8UL Esports
India’s structural divide
For all its potential, Indian esports lacks an essential element that traditional sports take for granted: structure.“If I’m a guy sitting at home… we don’t have a plan as to how that person can end up representing India,” says Agarwal. “Everything happens by chance.“In sports, you play district, state, nationality… There is structure. There is no proper talent scouting program in esports. There is no structure for younger talent to rise to the top. Today, there is no clear path to formally register esports teams as entities within a defined structure. Players and organizations still lack comprehensive protection.”
Gaming has given India hundreds of beautiful things, but only the bad ones made national news
Animesh Agarwal, CEO and Founder, S8UL Esports
A problem of perception
If infrastructure is one barrier, perception is another. “Gaming has given India hundreds of beautiful things, but only the bad ones have made national news,” says Agarwal. “If you always show something in the wrong way, then your perception will never change.“For a very long time, people thought gaming meant fantasy gaming … that was a big problem. We had such great moments … but very few made the national news,” he says. “So it’s really hindering progress.”
Worldwide trophy. That changes everything
Animesh Agarwal, CEO and Founder, S8UL Esports
Waiting for a breakthrough
In many ways, India’s esports journey resembles its early cricketing years – full of promise, short on defining moments. But unlike in the past, this ecosystem is now supported by timely regulation, global exposure and growing institutional support.For Agarwal, direction is inevitable. “I don’t think it’s a can thing,” he says. “Esports will make its way… it will be a necessity.“The global trophy. It changes everything.”Until then, India’s esports story continues to build across policies, platforms and global stages, waiting for an outcome that will finally turn potential into proof.
