India’s eSports Boom: From Niche Hobby to High-Growth Industry

India’s eSports sector is rapidly transforming from a niche digital pursuit into a mainstream entertainment powerhouse. Driven by a young, tech-savvy population hungry for real-time, immersive experiences, the eSports market in India is projected to reach USD 90–100 million by 2028, marking it as one of the country’s most dynamic emerging sectors, says Redseer Consulting.

Youthful Demand for Live, Interactive Experiences

Today’s Indian youth are not content with being passive media consumers. Instead, they demand participatory and immersive formats—experiences that allow them to engage, compete, and contribute in real-time. This shift is powering the rise of what Redseer calls “Live Experiences”, a fusion of eSports and live entertainment. These sectors are redefining how content is created, consumed, and monetised.

Globally, the live experience market (spanning South Asia, Southeast Asia, MENAT, and Germany) was valued at USD 2.6 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a 10–12% CAGR, hitting USD 4.4 billion by 2028. In this mix, eSports is set to grow at 11–13%, underpinned by rising digital access, social connectivity, and a growing appetite for community-led experiences.

India’s eSports Growth: Redseer Consulting Report

Monetisation Flywheel in Motion

The eSports economy is now evolving into a robust ecosystem powered by brand sponsorships, media rights, ticketing, merchandising, and more. Sponsorships are the primary growth driver, expected to contribute nearly two-thirds of the sector’s incremental revenue over the next three years.

The monetisation model functions like a flywheel:

Audience Growth drives brand and artist interest.

Sponsorships enhance production quality and prize pools.

Media Partnerships scale the event’s reach.

Greater Exposure draws even more fans, creating a loop of growth.

This structure mirrors the commercial success of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which turned cricket into a cultural spectacle. Today, esports stands where the IPL was a decade ago—on the cusp of massive transformation, backed by youth culture and digital momentum.

India’s eSports Growth : Redseer Consulting Report

Media Rights and Real-World Convergence

As traditional broadcasters and OTT platforms seek to engage younger demographics, eSports offers frequent, high-engagement content that is rapidly becoming a premium commodity. At the same time, demand for offline engagement—through live tournaments, conventions, and fan meetups—is also rising, unlocking new revenue streams via ticketing and merchandising.

Who Stands to Benefit?

eSports Operators: Must create sticky, year-round intellectual properties (IPs) and communities that encourage repeat participation.

Investors should back operators and publishers with compelling IP and a strong youth connection.

Brand Sponsors: Both endemic and non-endemic brands can harness high-visibility moments, limited-edition drops, and gamified campaigns to boost loyalty and recall.

What Lies Ahead?

The future of Indian eSports is not just digital—it’s hybrid. Real-world tournaments, interactive streams, influencer-led storytelling, and in-game monetisation converge to create a scalable, engaging, and profitable ecosystem. This is the moment to go all-in for platforms, investors, and marketers. Visit for a detailed insight.