Dream11 Pivots From Fantasy Gaming to Creator-Led Sports Entertainment App

Dream11 has officially announced a major shift in its business strategy, moving away from its long-standing identity as a real-money gaming (RMG) fantasy platform to become a second-screen sports entertainment app focused on creators and fan engagement. The newly approved app is scheduled to go live on the Play Store and App Store within 24 hours, marking one of the most dramatic product reinventions in the company’s 18-year journey. At the heart of the new experience are interactive watch-along streams, creator collaborations, quizzes, micro-engagement features and ad-supported monetisation, with the company identifying advertising as one of its primary near-term revenue drivers.

The transformation follows Dream11’s decision earlier this year to shut down its real-money fantasy model “the same day it became illegal,” according to Harsh Jain, Co-founder and CEO of Dream11 and Dream Sports. With the RMG vertical closed, the company shifted focus toward what it described as a growing pain point in sports consumption — the isolation of solo viewing. Jain said the reimagined product addresses a habit already widespread among Indian fans, with company data indicating that around 80% of viewers use a second screen while watching live sports. The new platform aims to let fans watch matches together virtually through creator-hosted sessions that facilitate real-time chats, banter, interactive questions and shared reactions before, during and after matches.

The app’s core offering revolves around creator-led watch-alongs where users can participate via comments, live collaborations and virtual currency-based shout-outs, mirroring monetisation methods used on global live-content platforms. In addition, the platform integrates live scorecards, commentary and match data directly within streams, a feature designed to reduce the friction between watching content and tracking games. Alongside watch-alongs, Dream11 will continue to host free-to-play fantasy formats, now bundled into a wider entertainment ecosystem rather than operating as a standalone gaming product. To build early traction, Dream11 has already onboarded 25 creators, including a mix of prominent and mid-tier talent. The company has committed to a revenue-sharing model in which creators will receive the majority of earnings from advertisements and virtual goods, while Dream11 retains a platform fee. Jain said this structure is meant to mirror creator-economy platforms globally, while tailoring the experience specifically for sports communities — an area he argued is underserved by general video networks.

Advertising will be a central revenue pillar for the revamped app, with pre-roll and mid-roll ads running across streams and revenue shared with creators. While virtual-gift spending is using global benchmarks where platforms generate up to $10 per user, Jain noted that Indian monetisation levels would initially be much lower, reinforcing the importance of advertising in the platform’s early economics. Dream11 also highlighted a $10-billion global market opportunity around creator-centric sports engagement, pointing to India’s massive sports viewership base as a key growth catalyst.The pivot has been accompanied by a significant internal reset. Dream11 has introduced a visual rebrand featuring a dark theme, neon accents and a new logo colour palette to reflect its entertainment-first positioning. Team size on Dream11 has reduced to fewer than 200 employees, down from around 1,000 previously, as part of a broader restructuring across parent company Dream Sports, which is now split into eight business units operating as independent startup-style ventures. Jain said personnel adjustments were largely the result of employee redeployment rather than layoffs, and that lock-ins linked to joining bonuses were removed to allow voluntary exits from those not aligned with the new high-velocity startup culture.

Despite the high-profile relaunch, Dream11 has opted for a no-spend external marketing strategy at launch. The company plans to activate and educate its 20–30 million monthly active users about the new watch-along experience rather than undertake major advertising campaigns. Jain ruled out the use of celebrity brand ambassadors, saying that endorsements would not solve the core question of product adoption. According to him, organic creator engagement and user interest will determine early success far more than promotional spending. On funding, Dream11 confirmed there are no immediate plans to raise new capital for the pivot. Initial platform development and operations will be financed through existing resources, with technology and infrastructure costs expected to scale gradually based on user growth.

In terms of safeguards, the new app will be restricted to users 18 years and older and will operate under community moderation policies. Jain clarified that the platform will not host match broadcasts, but instead enables discussion and engagement around live games — a distinction intended to avoid conflicts with broadcast rights regulations. The rollout is planned in phases, with global expansion on the roadmap, as Dream11 works to reposition itself as a creator-driven hub for shared sports viewing rather than a fantasy gaming destination.