Once upon a time, the majority of Indian parents were strictly against the idea of gaming. Today, gaming is a legitimate profession that can fetch millions if done right

The first video game was launched in 1962, but it was only after the 90s that technology experienced a massive boom, which also made gaming popular worldwide. However, in India, millennials and Gen Zs who loved gaming were often discouraged by their parents, who believed it was a waste of time.

Cut to 2025, gaming today is a legitimate profession, and if trained with adequate resources since childhood, gamers can earn millions, and the average 9-to-5 job cannot compete with the money gaming generates.

As the year comes to an end, we take a look at India’s achievements this year that demonstrate the country is taking steps to become a dominant name in the world of eSports.

PROGA 2025

After years of struggle to give eSports a legal identity, in 2025, the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act (PROGA) finally became law, granting eSports a legitimate status. The act also allows government and private entities to gift cash-based incentives to esports winners at the domestic and national levels. This move makes their source of income legitimate.

(Credit- Patras Law Chamber)

Not to forget, eSports also received a green signal at the grassroots level after its debut at the Khelo India Youth Games. States such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan hosted official eSports tournaments, making gaming a way of life.

Ved Bamb World Champion

Moving on to the World Title, India’s Ved Bamb became the first Indian World Champion in an eSports competition, i.e., Pokémon GO. Nicknamed Beelzeboy, Ved won the competition against Spain’s P4T0M4N in a tight 3–2 series, securing a whopping prize of 20,000 US dollars, equivalent to nearly INR 17 lakh.

S8UL’s global growth

(Credit- New18)

For the unversed souls, S8UL is a gaming content company founded by Animesh Agarwal (Thug), Naman Mathur (MortaL), and Lokesh Jain (Goldy). This year, S8UL became the first Indian club partner of the 2025 Esports World Cup, alongside winning the ‘Esports Content Group of the Year.’ Furthermore, co-founder Animesh Agarwal became the first Indian to win the ‘Esports Personality of the Year’ award.

Overall, 2025 saw government and private organisations pushing eSports in India, not only at the urban level but also at the grassroots level. Such support will certainly help gamers take gaming more seriously and pursue it professionally. We hope that in 2026, India will win more international titles in eSports, further strengthening its position in the field.