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Poker trumps real-money gaming amid GST claims
Mint Bangalore
|July 22, 2025
Participation numbers have also surged, jumping from 2,200 to over 22,000 unique players
While India's gaming industry continues to reel under the weight of retrospective GST claims, the Poker Sports League (PSL) seems to have carved a niche by staying away from real money formats.
Structured like a traditional sports league, with no betting, wagering, or entry fees, the Amit Burman-backed franchise tournament has turned profitable in its sixth season and is now aiming to reach ₹50 crore in revenue by FY29, according to Mind Sports League (MSL).
In FY23, the company's revenue was ₹1.67 crore, which rose to ₹3.41 crore in FY24 and ₹7.03 crore in FY25.
Broadcast live on Jio Hotstar, the league has grown over 15 times in viewership in the last three seasons, from 1.2 million in season 4 to 22.6 million in season 6, as per top officials of the league.
Participation numbers have also seen a massive surge, jumping from 2,200 to over 22,000 unique players, with season 7 expected to cross 30,000.
This story is from the July 22, 2025 edition of Mint Bangalore.
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