The numbers don’t lie
500 million gamers by 2025. A hundred million dollars in esports betting revenue this year alone. Sixty percent of those players tangled up in esports – whether they’re smashing buttons, watching streams, or just losing sleep over the latest tournament. The stats hit like a Valorant headshot, clean and impossible to ignore. India isn’t just playing games anymore; it’s betting on them like the future depends on it. And honestly? Maybe it does.
How we got here – fast
It wasn’t always like this. Ten years ago, esports betting in India was a whisper, a side hustle for a handful of die-hards with dodgy VPNs and too much time on their hands. Then the smartphones arrived. Cheap data, 4G blanketing even the smallest villages, and suddenly every kid with a Jio SIM could stream League of Legends at 2 a.m. while pretending to study. By 2020, 95% of rural India had 3G or better. The floodgates opened.
But tech alone doesn’t explain the obsession. It’s the people. The 19-25 crowd, glued to screens, raised on YouTube tutorials and Twitch streams. They don’t just watch esports – they live it. And when you live something, you bet on it. Not always big money, but enough to feel the rush. A hundred rupees here, five hundred there. It adds up. Fast.
The games that changed everything
League of Legends didn’t just enter the Indian market – it bulldozed through. Twenty-six percent of global esports betting volume now rides on Riot’s MOBA. In Q3 2025, turnover shot up 290% year-over-year. That’s not growth; that’s an explosion. And then there’s Valorant, Riot’s tactical shooter, which saw betting activity jump 175% in the first half of 2025 alone. Why? Because Riot started sponsoring local tournaments. Because Indian teams started winning. Because when your boys take down a Korean squad in overtime, you want to back them with more than just hype.
Mobile esports are the real game-changer, though. Games like Free Fire and BGMI (the Indian version of PUBG Mobile) dominate the scene. They’re easy to pick up, hard to put down, and perfect for betting. No fancy PC needed – just a phone, a data pack, and the will to stay awake until 3 a.m. watching some guy in Mumbai clutch a round with a frying pan.
The money moves
Let’s talk numbers, because they’re wild. India’s esports betting revenue hit $100.3 million in 2025. That’s not pocket change. The overall sports betting market? Somewhere between $4.18 billion and $6.91 billion this year, depending on who you ask. By 2030, it could be pushing $17 billion. Esports is the shiny new segment, growing at a clip that makes traditional sports betting look sleepy.
Here’s the breakdown – raw, unfiltered:
India Esports Betting Revenue (2025): $100.3 million
Overall Sports Betting Market (2024): $4.18–6.91 billion
Projected Sports Betting (2030/2033): $8.85–16.83 billion
Esports Stake Volume Growth (Q3 2025 YoY): +60%
Esports Profit Growth (Q3 2025 YoY): +79%
League of Legends Turnover (Q3 2025 YoY): +290%
Valorant Betting Activity (H1 2025 YoY): +175%
Asia-Pacific Esports Betting (2024, CAGR to 2031): $601 million, 10% growth
These aren’t just numbers on a screen. They’re proof. Proof that India’s esports betting obsession isn’t a phase. It’s a movement.
The platforms cashing in
Where there’s money, there’s a platform. And right now, the platforms are winning. Global esports betting is set to jump from $2.6 billion in 2024 to $4.5 billion by 2031. In India, the story’s even crazier. Q3 2025 saw a 60% spike in stake volume, 79% profit growth, and 126% more active players. That’s not just growth – that’s a gold rush.
Some of these platforms are legit. Some are… less so. But the demand is there, and where demand goes, supply follows. Even the government’s starting to take notice, though whether that leads to regulation or just more red tape is anyone’s guess.
What’s next?
So where does this go? If you’re asking me, it goes up. Way up. The gaming market in India is on track to hit $1.5 billion by 2028. Betting’s just one piece of that pie, but it’s a big one. The youth aren’t slowing down. The tournaments aren’t stopping. And the phones? They’re only getting faster.
Maybe the real question isn’t why India’s obsessed with esports betting. Maybe it’s who’s next. Because if you’re not paying attention now, you’re already behind.
Want in?
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