FILE PHOTO: Players competing at EWC 2025 (Image: S8UL Esports)
Sportsaccording to most metrics, has already arrived. It is increasingly central to the global, capitalist, and modern sports 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 ambition and intent continue to grow.
We don’t have an ’83 moment in sports for India.
Animesh Agarwal, CEO and Founder, S8UL Esports
Animesh Agarwal, CEO and founder of S8UL Esports, tells Timesofindia.com, “There has to be an Indian team or an Indian player who goes out, wins a medal for us or wins a world championship.… We haven’t had an ’83 moment in esports for India. “Some kid needs to go out, a group of kids needs to go out and win it for India, because that’s what we’re waiting for.”
Enhancing India’s sporting ambitions
That search for legitimacy is rapidly expanding and increasing global recognition. S8UL’s continued involvement in the Esports Foundation Club Partner Program, along with another Indian outfit, GodLike, makes it one of the 40 elite global clubs preparing for the Esports World Cup 2026 in Riyadh, a tournament that will feature more than 2,000 players, 200 clubs, and a prize pool of Rs 70 crore.The program offers self-funding, strategic support, and international exposure, effectively acting as a bridge between the domestic ecosystem and global competitiveness. For Agarwal, the shift is both external and internal.“When we applied for the EWC, we were like, well, we’re checking the grounds… maybe we’re running for 2026 or 2027,” he says. “But when we got it, everything accelerated. We had three years of projects to cover in one year, from one country to eight different countries, from two esports titles to 14 different esports titles.”
Animesh Agarwal (Photo: S8UL Esports)
The Club Partner Program, which now includes S8UL, has invested more than USD 100 million in organizations since 2023, and Agarwal suggests that global exposure and capital can be transformative beyond just results.“It opens up seats at tables that are coveted…it’s a very high stakes club to be a part of this program,” says Agarwal. “You won’t get more information about esports anywhere else in two months. This is a true test of your foundation.”In many ways, that ‘check’ is where India stands right now. According to industry estimates, India is one of the fastest-growing consumer gaming markets, with over 500 million gamers, but it still contributes a disproportionately small share of global esports revenue and competitive success.
A regulatory reset for much-needed clarity
Back home, ecosystems are undergoing a different kind of transformation. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming (PROG) Act, 2025, and the accompanying Rules of 2026, represent India’s most systematic attempt to define the sector. The framework makes a clear distinction between esports and online money gaming, 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 consumer safety features, introduces a two-tier grievance redressal system, and prevents financial systems from enabling prohibited gaming transactions, thereby creating safeguards for both consumers and operators. For Agarwal, that explanation was over.“The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 is a positive step for Indian sports,” he says. “It brings much-needed structure to the ecosystem and clearly separates esports from online mini-gaming, helping to clear up longstanding confusion around the space.“For organizations like S8UL, this direction allows us to take a more long-term view – investing in talent, scaling teams, and building globally competitive structures with greater confidence.”Yet, the gap between policy and practice remains.“There are still significant gaps,” he adds. “Esports teams and players face a lack of clarity around the financial framework… There are ongoing challenges in how banks differentiate between esports earnings and real money gaming.“I still get hassled by banking partners when we’re getting a prize from a foreign country because they don’t understand sports,” he says. “So before we get to the big stuff, there are basic issues.”
Within the sports economy
If the external concept of esports is still developing, the business model behind it is already clear and organized.“Content is at the forefront for any sports team or gamer in India,” says Agarwal. “After sponsorship… and then prize money.” But, each prize pool is reduced by an average of 50-60 percent,” he explains. “After tax and distribution… a top team can take home 60-70 odd lakhs. So prize pools don’t really make a big impact.”
But the real upside goes beyond domestic circuits. “If you go beyond domestic boundaries and qualify for global events, the prize pools grow exponentially … we’re talking 7x, 8x increases.”This is where global tournaments and events like the EWC become critical to long-term viability.
Mobile first, but not ready for the future?
India’s sports identity is also shaped by accessibility. Affordable smartphones and low data costs fueled the first wave of adoption, deepening audiences but limiting breadth across competing formats.“We are more than 90 percent mobile-first country,” says Agarwal. “And we’re talking about banning two of the most popular titles … so it definitely hindered progress.”By banning titles like PUBG Mobile and Free Fire, this bottleneck did more than stall speeds. It also exposed the fragility of an ecosystem that relies heavily on a narrow set of topics.“If you go and search for PC players … you might find a bunch of 10 good players,” he says. “But you can’t have a country of 100 where only 10 people are good at a particular game. Gaming PCs today… I don’t see them costing less than 130K–140K,” he adds. “So imagine how difficult the transition will be for us.”Globally, however, the competitive focus still leans from tactical shooters to multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBA) towards PC and console ecosystems where infrastructure, access to hardware, and long-term training systems exist. India’s mobile-first tilt, while commercially effective, has disconnected it from this global meta.
If I am a guy sitting at home… we don’t have a road map as to how that person can represent India.
Animesh Agarwal, CEO and Founder, S8UL Esports
India’s structural gap
For all its prowess, Indian sports lack the basic element that traditional sports value: structure.“If I am a guy sitting at home… we don’t have a road map as to how that person can represent India,” says Agarwal. “Everything is happening out of order.“In sports, you play district, state, nationals…there’s a structure. In esports, there is no true talent scouting program. There is no structure to how a young talent can make it to the top. Today there is no clear way to officially register esports teams as entities within a clear structure. Athletes and organizations still lack comprehensive protections.
Gaming gave India hundreds of beautiful things, but only the bad things made it into the national news.
Animesh Agarwal, CEO and Founder, S8UL Esports
The problem of perception
If infrastructure is one barrier, perception is another. “Gaming has given India hundreds of beautiful things, but only the bad things have made it into the national news,” says Agarwal. “If you always portray something in a negative light, that perception will never change.“For too long, people thought gaming meant fantasy gaming… that’s been a huge problem. We’ve had great moments… but very few people made it to the national news,” he says. “So it’s really hindered development.”
A world trophy. That changes everything.
Animesh Agarwal, CEO and Founder, S8UL Esports
Awaiting progress.
In many ways, India’s sporting journey resembles its early cricket years – full of promise, short on defining moments. But unlike in the past, this ecosystem is now supported by early regulatory clarity, global exposure, and growing institutional support.For Agarwal, direction is indispensable. “I don’t think it can be done,” he says. “Esports will make its way… it will be imperative.“A world trophy. That changes everything.”Until then, India’s sports story continues to build in policies, platforms and global stages, waiting for the outcome that finally turns potential into evidence.
