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Inside the Battlegrounds Mobile India ban, and the impact on India’s mobile games market

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The Indian government requested Apple and Google to remove Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) from their app stores on July 28th, one year after it launched in the country. Our research shows that the popular battle royale game, published by South Korean firm Krafton, is no longer available for download. The request comes in the wake of several allegations made against the game for being a rebranded version of PUBG Mobile, which was banned in September 2020 due to national security concerns. These concerns were recently raised in the Indian Parliament, with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) stating that BGMI was a different app to PUBG Mobile, suggesting it was not a national security concern. It’s unclear what changed to cause MeitY to pull the app.

While the government has not issued a statement to confirm the game is permanently banned, Reuters reported that the title was pulled by MeitY using Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, the same act that was used to justify the ban of 321 mobile apps since June 2020. BGMI is the 57th game pulled due to this regulation. The bans have primarily targeted mobile apps from China, primarily citing national security risks. BGMI’s takedown comes just 5 months after the ban of Garena Free Fire, the most popular battle royale game in India until then.

Krafton launched BGMI after PUBG Mobile was banned

MeitY originally banned PUBG Mobile in September 2020 due to national security and data privacy issues following, though not necessarily as a result of border tensions with China. While the PUBG IP is owned by Krafton, PUBG Mobile was developed and published in India by Chinese gaming giant Tencent. At the time of its ban, PUBG Mobile was the #1 game in India by both revenue and downloads and had been a key driver of mobile gaming growth in the country. The ban had a profound impact on the battle royale segment and broader gaming ecosystem, with the unserved demand satiated by Garena Free Fire over time.

Krafton announced in November 2020 that it would bring its core battle royale experience back to India, with BGMI launching in July 2021. Krafton fully committed to the Indian market by self-publishing the title, introducing local servers to store user data securely and in country, and by announcing it would invest over US$100 million in the Indian gaming, esports, entertainment and IT industries, which it has done. The game saw significantly high uptake at launch given the popularity of battle royale games in the country, with 40 million registrations prior to launch and 16 million daily active users in its first 10 days.

BGMI had over 100 million downloads in its first year

BGMI has been a huge success for Krafton and the title was on track to reach the 200 million download mark that PUBG Mobile had achieved prior to its September 2020 ban. The title had quickly become the #2 highest grossing mobile game in India and its 2022 revenue was set to exceed that of PUBG Mobile’s peak year. BGMI has also become the leading esports title in India with Krafton investing heavily in the space to set up the Battlegrounds Mobile India Pro Series, an official league for Indian teams with a prize pool of US$260,000.

According to Niko’s Asia Esports Tracker, BGMI is the #1 title by prize pool in India, with its total 2022 prize pool accounting for 35% of total prize pool revenue for all local and regional esports tournaments. The game also saw massive endorsement from streamers, esports organizations, and teams with high participation across key events. The BGMI Masters Series LAN event was also the first tournament to be televised live on Indian TV, reaching 12.3 million viewers.

How this impacts India’s mobile game market

If BGMI does not return to app stores, we believe it may have a material impact on the short-term growth rate of India’s mobile game market and the esports ecosystem. Battle royale is the most popular mobile game genre by player spending in India according to data from Sensor Tower, accounting for over 1/3 of total mobile game spending in 2021. BGMI and Free Fire accounted for over 95% of total spend on mobile battle royale games in 2021 and H1 2022, but both titles have been removed from app stores this year. However, Niko’s research shows that Free Fire MAX, a high-end version of Free Fire from Garena, remains available on Google Play. It’s unclear how MAX is still operating on Google Play, but the MAX version was not specifically included in the ban list where Free Fire was banned.

There will also be a negative impact on the broader BGMI ecosystem, especially within esports and live streaming. Everyday players will now be looking for a new title to play, and we expect most to shift over to Free Fire MAX assuming the title continues to operate. Call of Duty: Mobile (Activision Blizzard) may also benefit given its strong position in the market as an established shooter game with a battle royale mode that consistently ranks in the top ten game revenue chart. Apex Legends Mobile (Electronic Arts), New State (Krafton – Title was formerly PUBG New State) and Farlight 84 (Lilith Games) are core battle royale games that may also benefit, but we note that these titles are not as established as Call of Duty Mobile and Free Fire MAX.

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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GR8 Tech’s Bet It Drives Season 2 Finale: Kelly Kehn on Opening iGaming to New Founders

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Lisbon’s streets set the pace for Season 2 of GR8 Tech’s Bet It Drives—the drive-time podcast where iGaming’s most interesting voices speak freely. Hosted by Yevhen Krazhan, Chief Sales Officer at GR8 Tech, each episode captures raw insight, candid stories, and the energy you can only find on the road.

Episode 4 of the Season 2 finale puts the spotlight on Kelly Kehn, founder, board member, and startup advisor in gaming. As co-founder of Defy the Odds (DTO), she’s building a launchpad and community connecting startups, investors, and operators—with a focus on female and minority founders. Previously, she co-founded the All-In Diversity Project, held ecosystem roles at happyhour.io and SBC, and serves on boards including FUNNZ.

During the ride, Kelly opens up about:

  • Why iGaming events matter: the community, access, and acceleration you only get in the room.
  • Defy the Odds (DTO): why she and her co-founders built it, what it is, and how founders plug in.
  • Women in iGaming: real challenges and how to lower the barrier to entry; inclusion as a growth strategy.
  • Pitch ideas that paid off and common startup pitch mistakes.
  • The next possible unicorn in iGaming and what makes it possible.
  • Soundtrack to success: the song for a win, the pre-coaching track, and the one that sums up her career.
  • The boldest ideas: intention, asking for help, and doing the homework.
  • The unwritten rule of iGaming.
  • Halloween rubric: the scariest moments in life and career, and why saying the hard thing out loud matters.
  • Kelly’s Champion Rule: Be kind to yourself and to others.

“As Kelly said, ‘When we open the space to more people and more perspectives, we all win and the pie gets bigger.’ This episode was the perfect finish of our Season 2 in Lisbon,” said Krazhan.

Watch or listen to Season 2, Episode 4 with Kelly Kehn on:

Season 2 of Bet It Drives launched with Rasmus Sojmark, kept pace with Tiago Pereira and Kyrylo Korobka, and now crosses the line with Kelly Kehn in the finale. But still, don’t unbuckle yet: Season 3 is coming soon with more interesting conversations and more reasons to hit play. Follow GR8 Tech to stay in the loop.

The next chapter of iGaming belongs to champions who play smart and bold. Join GR8 Tech at SiGMA Central Europe 2025, Rome, November 3–6, booth 5028-2, and discover the Heavyweight Rulebook—built for operators ready to scale, localize, and win.

The post GR8 Tech’s Bet It Drives Season 2 Finale: Kelly Kehn on Opening iGaming to New Founders appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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GambleAware Warns Outdated Gambling Advertising and Marketing Regulations are Leaving Children at Risk of Gambling Harm

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Regulations for online gambling marketing must urgently be brought into the digital age, a new report from the charity GambleAware has warned.

The report reveals that despite gambling being an age-restricted product, children are being exposed to gambling marketing online, before they reach an age at which they can critically evaluate it. This is leading to gambling being normalised and portrayed as “risk-free”, which increases the risk of them experiencing gambling harm.

Gambling harms are becoming an increasing part of children’s lives, with previous research finding that in 2024, around 85,000 children in Britain were experiencing harm from their own gambling, a figure which has doubled since 20233. GambleAware’s new report highlights how seeing gambling marketing and content, online and via social and streaming platforms, could be encouraging children to gamble and contributing to the number experiencing harm.

The new report calls out poor regulation of gambling marketing online, highlighting how more needs to be done to ensure the rules reflect the unique challenges presented by the digital age and urges a reduction in self-regulation to protect children from being exposed to age-restricted gambling content. Alongside this, GambleAware is also calling for mandatory health warnings to be put on all gambling marketing so people are aware of the risks and support available.

Specific changes to help protect children could include moves to hold online platforms to greater account and ensuring existing government programmes, such as the Online Safety Act and Online Advertising Programme, more directly address gambling marketing and content online. Alongside this, other recommendations include the alignment and strengthening of online safety regulatory powers and programmes.

GambleAware research also found strong public support from children and adults for changes to gambling marketing and advertising regulation. Around four in five children (79%) say they want more rules around gambling content and advertising on social media. Alongside this, over seven in ten adults also agree, saying they want more regulation around gambling advertising on social media (74%) and gambling related content on social media (70%).

Anna Hargrave, GambleAware Transition CEO, said: “Gambling operators invest significant resources into online marketing because it works at getting people to gamble more. This has resulted in children and young people being exposed to gambling content online before an age at which they can critically evaluate it and understand the risks that come with it.

“The current regulations covering gambling marketing and advertising online were designed before most children had easy access to the internet. Urgent action is needed to update these rules and bring them into the digital age to help keep children and young people safe from gambling harm.”

The post GambleAware Warns Outdated Gambling Advertising and Marketing Regulations are Leaving Children at Risk of Gambling Harm appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Betbazar’s AI Revolution: Where Algorithms Play and Humans Watch

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Max Sevostianov, CCO at Betbazar, reveals how AI Cricket blurs the line between sport, tech and entertainment — creating a 24/7 AI sports universe — where every match feels alive and every second counts.

  1. How did the idea of creating AI-driven Cricket come about?

It started from our roots in Live Data Feed and Live Content. We constantly saw the same demand from operators worldwide — they needed fast, round-the-clock sports content that actually feels alive. Traditional virtuals didn’t cut it anymore; they were too static, too predictable.

Cricket, with its global fanbase and built-in drama, became the perfect playground for something new. We wanted to merge sports logic, AI, and entertainment to create a product that doesn’t just simulate a match — it lives one. That’s how AI Cricket was born: a fast, emotional, and unpredictable experience built for the next generation who expect energy, not repetition.

  1. What market gap does this product fill – and which Operators or regions is it most relevant for?The biggest gap we saw was the “dead zone” between traditional virtuals and real sports. Virtual games looked repetitive and lifeless, while real matches were limited by schedules and logistics. Bettors were stuck between predictability and waiting.

AI Cricket closes that gap completely. It runs 24/7, behaves like a real sport with live odds movement, and keeps the unpredictability that makes real competition exciting. It’s already resonating strongly in cricket-driven regions — India, Bangladesh, Australia, and across Africa — where players crave constant, authentic action that never sleeps.

  1. AI Cricket offers a short dynamic format (3–6 minutes). How does it align with the behavior trends of the Next Generation of bettors?Today’s bettors live in a scroll culture. They want action, not waiting. The next generation grew up on TikTok clips, Reels, and esports rounds that last minutes, not hours. That shift completely changed attention patterns — and we built AI Cricket for that world.

Each match lasts just 3 to 6 minutes — quick, intense and rewarding. It’s snackable entertainment with real IGaming logic behind it. Players can jump in, experience the thrill, and move on — or stay for hours of back-to-back action that never loses momentum.

  1. How exactly does the AI model work to make every match unpredictable and “alive”?Behind every match is a living algorithm. Our AI engine processes thousands of variables — team stats, player behavior, pitch and weather conditions, even dynamic momentum shifts. It learns from real cricket patterns but never repeats itself.

That’s what makes it unpredictable — no scripted loops, no recycled outcomes. Every delivery, every wicket, carries its own story. You can literally feel the rhythm of the game changing, just like in live sports. That’s where the emotion comes from — not from animation, but from intelligence.

  1. How customisable is the product for each Operator’s brand?

We built AI Cricket to be more than a plug-and-play product — it’s a canvas for each Operator’s brand. Our customisation layer lets partners design branded tournaments with their own visuals, logos, and atmosphere.

That means every sportsbook can offer something that feels exclusive — not “another virtual,” but their cricket universe. It’s a powerful way to build loyalty and keep players coming back, because the experience looks, sounds and plays like it truly belongs to that Operator.

  1. Does Betbazar plan to expand the AI-driven approach to other sports as well?

Absolutely — Cricket was just the opening chapter. The core AI engine we’ve built is flexible enough to adapt to any sport with a short, dynamic format. We’re already experimenting with new disciplines that share the same DNA: fast action, unpredictability, and constant engagement. Our goal is to create a full AI-driven sports universe.

  1. How do you see AI-powered Content evolving in the iGaming industry over the next 2-3 years?

AI-powered content transforms iGaming by making it faster to test ideas, launch products, and measure results. It turns IGaming into a form of entertainment — offering new, immersive experiences rather than just odds and outcomes. It’s a powerful way for Operators to experiment with different hypotheses, understand player behaviour, and adapt their sportsbook in real time. The line between sports, gaming, and entertainment is fading — and we want Betbazar to lead that evolution.

About Betbazar

Betbazar is a product-first iGaming technology company that empowers Operators with profitable solutions. From low-latency Live Data Feed and AI-driven products to a Turnkey Platform and Sportsbook Solutions, the company delivers performance, reliability and growth Operators need to stay ahead. Betbazar is a long-term technology partner, helping Operators integrate faster, operate smarter and scale stronger.

Website: https://betbazar.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betbazar

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