India’s Gaming Market Crosses $1B as Players Diversify

India’s gaming market generated $1.04 billion USD in 2025, crossing the $1B mark for the first time, according to Niko Partners’ Aug 10, 2026, report. Revenue increased 14.8% year-over-year (YoY), with mobile gaming, broader genre preferences, and changing payment behavior supporting the market’s expansion.

Niko Partners forecasts revenue will approach $1.2B in 2026 and reach $1.77B by 2030, representing an 11.2% five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR). India is currently experiencing the strongest growth among the video game markets covered by the firm.

India’s Gaming Market Growth Shifts Beyond Battle Royale

India had 511M players in 2025, a figure expected to exceed 550M in 2026 and 700M by 2030. However, monetization remains relatively low, with average revenue per user (ARPU) at $2.04 in 2025 and projected to reach $2.52 by 2030.

Mobile gaming remains central, but the revenue mix is changing. Non-battle royale mobile games accounted for 62.8% of revenue in June 2026, compared with 53.2% in June 2023. Female participation also rose from 43% of players in 2023 to 49% in 2026.

Niko Partners reported that audiences are expanding across mobile, PC, and console, including greater interest in legacy PC titles. Rising esports participation is also strengthening gaming communities, while government support at both national and state levels is creating additional opportunities.

Rising esports participation is also strengthening gaming communities, while government support at both national and state levels is creating additional opportunities. Following the government’s ban on online money games, which came into force under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act (PROGA), 2025, policy attention has also expanded toward esports, social games, and the wider creative economy.

The Union Budget 2026-27 allocated INR 250 cr to support Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC) content creator labs across 15K secondary schools and 500 colleges. Meanwhile, the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) is being developed with INR 391.15 cr in government support as a national AVGC-XR center. At the state level, West Bengal has proposed INR 50 cr to train around 100K students and youth annually in AVGC-XR, establish 500 content creator labs, and expand its existing WEBEL Animation Academy.

These measures form part of the government’s broader “Orange Economy” strategy, which treats gaming, animation, VFX, comics, and digital content as areas for skills development, employment, and economic growth. India’s AVGC sector is projected by the government to require nearly 2M professionals by 2030.

UPI and UGC Reshape Indian Gaming

Payment preferences highlight another shift. The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has been used by 84.6% of Indian players, compared with 31.5% for credit cards. Meanwhile, 31.5% of Indian players reported purchasing in-game content through web stores, third-party stores, or top-up cards.

Likewise, User-Generated Content (UGC) platforms, including Roblox and Minecraft, are gaining popularity among younger players, while Grand Theft Auto (GTA) roleplay has found audiences through livestreaming. Meanwhile, Indian players are becoming more cautious about generative AI (GenAI), with employment concerns influencing sentiment.

With spending rising alongside a player base expected to surpass 700M, India’s opportunity is increasingly tied to monetization and specialized audiences rather than scale alone. Taken together, these figures show how India’s gaming market is expanding beyond its traditional reliance on mobile and battle royale games.