India’s Tier-III cities and towns have seen a significant increase in the number of online gamers in 2021, according to India. mobile gaming Report by Mobile Premier League 2021 (IMGR) (MPL), an export and skill Gambling Forum. The top 30 of them reported 170% more gamers than in 2020. Some smaller cities have seen a 100% to 200% increase in online gamers.
Siwan (Bihar), Bamnagoi (Chhattisgarh) and Sriganganagar (Rajasthan) saw an increase of 123%, 179% and 52% in the number of players. Smaller cities like Alwar (Rajasthan), Muzaffarpur (Bihar), Dhanbad (Jharkhand), Palanpur (Gujarat) reportedly saw a good growth in the number of new gamers. Incidentally, there are no major cities in these states that are known as gaming hubs.
Carrom, Fruit Dart, Fruit Chop, Runner No 1 and Block Puzzle are some of the top games played in various Indian cities as per IMGR 2021.
Several research reports suggest that the increasing availability of affordable smartphones with high-speed internet has pushed many people to take up gaming in smaller cities and towns. In fact, mobile-based platforms for gaming have made it easier for many to access skill-based games and tournaments.
Consultancy firm EY mentioned in a recent report that the Indian domestic market for online gaming is projected to grow from $906 million in 2019 to over $2 billion in 2023, representing a CAGR of around 22%. This means that the Indian market is expected to grow rapidly and become a meaningful contributor globally.
The EY report further elaborated that the number of online gamers in India is projected to grow from 360 million in 2020 to 510 million in 2022. Of these, an estimated 85% are mobile gamers.
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