One in Five Indian Borrowers Engages in Real-Money Gaming, Think360.ai Report Links Habit to Higher Missed EMIs

A new study released by Think360.ai, a CAMS company and one of India’s leading AI-driven credit-risk analytics firms, has revealed a striking correlation between real-money gaming and elevated credit risk among Indian borrowers. According to the report, one in five borrowers engages in online money-based gaming — a habit strongly associated with missed EMIs, short-term credit use, and growing financial stress.

The research arrives on the heels of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, recently enacted by Parliament. The new legislation bans money-based gaming while encouraging e-sports and social gaming, prompting lenders and gaming platforms to recalibrate their operations.

High Gaming Intensity Emerging as a Key Risk Indicator

The Think360.ai study analysed 19,966 borrowers earning less than ₹6 lakh annually, using data from its Algo360 platform. Findings show that 24% of self-employed and 22% of salaried borrowers participate in real-money gaming — a combined 4,178 users, or nearly 23% of all borrowers in the sample.

But the more concerning insight lies in repayment behaviour.

Among gaming platform users, 35% missed an EMI, compared with only 12% among non-gamers — a nearly threefold increase. The pattern holds across both income segments:

29% of salaried gamers missed payments

38% of self-employed gamers missed payments

Self-employed individuals, who already face volatile cash flows, exhibit a 17% higher relative risk of missed EMIs than salaried gamers. Notably, they account for 77% of all missed EMI cases among gamers, despite making up only 65% of the borrower base.

Experts Warn of Growing Vulnerability Among Gamers

“Risk-based gaming often signals wider financial instability,” said Amit Das, Founder & CEO of Think360.ai. “Our study shows that borrowers linked to online gaming tend to miss payments, take on unsustainable debt, and are at greater risk of loan default. Behaviour-driven models now allow lenders to spot these patterns early and intervene.”

The report strongly recommends that financial institutions move beyond traditional credit scoring and adopt behaviour-driven credit assessment. By analysing spending patterns, repayment behaviours, and lifestyle indicators — such as real-money gaming — lenders can identify distress signals long before they appear in formal credit reports.

Real-money gaming, often viewed as recreational, is emerging as a red flag for deeper issues like rising debt dependence and financial volatility. As India’s digital lending ecosystem expands and the gaming ban reshapes user behaviour, precision in credit risk detection is becoming essential.

With millions entering formal credit systems for the first time, Think360.ai argues that behaviour-led risk intelligence can help lenders reduce defaults, protect vulnerable borrowers, and strengthen financial stability across India’s credit landscape.