Indian fantasy sports platform Dream11 has expanded into 11 new markets in the aftermath of the ban on real-money games (RMG) in its home nation, which has cut off its biggest source of revenue.

The firm announced yesterday that it has launched its fantasy sports product in the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Malaysia, Nepal, Bangladesh, the UAE, South Africa and Sri Lanka in a huge expansion of its international profile.

Dream11’s platform is a fantasy cricket one, with its traditional product being a pay-to-play one – participants pay to participate in the fantasy cricket game and win prizes as a result of their in-game performance.

A Dream11 statement read: “Until now, Dream11 operated exclusively in India. With this expansion, the platform takes its next big step toward becoming a truly global destination for fantasy sports.

“Fans in these new markets can now create their fantasy cricket teams for the ongoing international cricket season and upcoming tournaments, using their skill and knowledge of the game to compete for rewards.”

Dream11 changes with the times

The company’s international expansion comes, as mentioned above, as a result of India’s RMG ban earlier this year, which completely flipped the company’s operating model in its home nation on its head.

Introduced to and approved by India’s parliament in August in rapid succession, the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025 brought a wide ranging ban on what the Indian government terms ‘real-money games’.

These are essentially games that are pay-to-play with the prospect of winning cash prizes as a result. Fantasy sports, online poker and rummy were all included in the ban, though esports was given a green light as the government wants to encourage development of the grassroots scene.

The consequence for Dream11 was that its platform had to convert to being a free-to-play platform with revenue generated from advertising. This transition was necessary to ensure its continued activity in India, but is too late to save its sponsorship of the Indian national cricket team.

International prospects have therefore beckoned. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are an obvious port of call, sharing India’s passion for cricket. On an unrelated but maybe important note for the future, Sri Lanka has also set 30 June 2026 as the start date for a new casino regulator.

Further afield, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa also share a strong cricket culture. The UAE is also an interesting choice, having hosted various cricket tournaments recently, and although Dream11 is not a gambling platform, the Middle Eastern nation is formulating a regulatory framework for the industry that could set the stage for future regional growth for the company depending on how this regime develops.

“Dream11’s expansion across the globe reflects both the appetite for immersive, skill-driven sports engagement and the platform’s steady growth over nearly two decades,” Dream11’s statement concluded.

“By combining sports passion with technology, Dream11 continues to transform sports fans into active participants and strengthen its leadership in the fantasy sports category.”