Real money the real winner in online gaming

Segment now accounts for 86% revenue of the $3.7-bn industry

- KUNAL DOLEY

DESPITE REGULATORY CHALLENGES, the real money gaming (RMG) segment is emerging as a dominant force in India's flourishing online gaming industry. As of FY24, RMG held the lion's share (85.7%), valued at $3.2 billion, of the online gaming economy's revenue of $3.7 billion, as per a report released earlier this year by the Interactive Entertainment and Innovation Council and home-grown gaming platform WinZO. The segment is further expected to grow at a CAGR of 17.9% to reach $7.3 billion by FY29, the report added.

Fuelling this rapid growth is an innovation in monetization models and a shift in consumer preferences, said industry experts. For instance, the micro-transaction-based monetization model (where users make small, frequent payments within a game to gain virtual items, currency, or other advantages) has "redefined the viability of skill gaming companies in the country," said Saumya Singh Rathore, co-founder of WinZO.