This article explores the implications of India’s Online Gaming Bill on the $3.8 billion industry and examines the real impact of AI dependency on technology and startups.

Auto-published by Growwh – a smarter way to scale content and marketing. Want to know more? Chat with us.

How India’s Online Gaming Bill Is Transforming the $3.8 Billion Industry

India’s growing online gaming market, currently valued at $3.8 billion, is facing a pivotal moment following the recent passage of the Online Gaming Bill. This legislation has already led major fantasy sports players like Dream11 to shutter their real-money gaming operations, signaling significant shifts for key industry players and the larger gaming ecosystem.

Online Gaming Bill’s Ripple Effect on Fantasy Sports and Real-Money Gaming

Following the Bill’s approval in both houses of Parliament, Dream11’s parent company, Dream Sports, announced the suspension of all ‘Pay to Play’ fantasy sports contests. This move underscores the heavy blow being dealt to real-money gaming platforms, affecting companies such as Zupee, My11Circle, WinZO, Games24x7, and Mobile Premier League.

Ready to take your brand to the next level?
At Growwh, we help startups and emerging brands grow faster with powerful content, creator collaborations, and tech solutions.
Explore what we do →

IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted that the Bill is a response to the harmful societal impact of online money games and is designed to promote esports and socially responsible gaming experiences.

GST Reforms and the Resurgence of Bike Taxi Services

Alongside gaming reforms, India is moving toward streamlining its Goods and Services Tax (GST) structure. The Group of Ministers has recommended reducing the number of GST slabs, moving most goods from 12% and 28% tax categories to lower rates—an important development for businesses and consumers alike.

Meanwhile, in Karnataka, the High Court overturned the state’s bike taxi ban, prompting aggregators like Rapido and Uber to resume services. However, Rapido faces challenges, including a Rs 10 lakh penalty imposed by the Central Consumer Protection Authority for misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices.

The Real Cost of AI Dependency in India’s SaaS Sector

In the rapidly evolving SaaS landscape, Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a central role, but comes with technical and financial challenges. Ramprakash Ramamoorthy, Director of AI Research at Zoho, shared insights into the cost of depending on external AI providers such as OpenAI and Google.

Building In-House AI: Zoho’s Zia LLM

Zoho has developed Zia LLM, an enterprise-grade large language model (LLM) built entirely in-house to keep customer data secure within its ecosystem. Leveraging internal tools and data access, Zia LLM integrates seamlessly with user emails, CRM leads, and documents, while employing audited APIs to fetch data beyond its immediate context.

• After tackling GPU shortages and iterative model enhancements, Zoho’s AI research team successfully delivered a secure, scalable AI solution.
• Ramamoorthy notes the innovation in LLMs is shifting from foundational development to incremental improvements such as tool integration and image generation.

Implications for SaaS Companies

Zoho’s approach demonstrates the high cost and complexity SaaS companies face when relying on third-party AI providers and underscores the growing trend toward self-sufficient AI development for better control and privacy compliance.

Industry Insights: Anil Agarwal on India’s Tech and Resource Future

Vedanta Resources’ Founder and Chairman Anil Agarwal shared his optimistic vision for India’s economic future, emphasizing the integration of natural resources with advanced technology. In a comprehensive discussion, Agarwal highlighted key issues shaping India’s industrial landscape:

• Entrepreneurship and Trust: Unlike other countries, India needs to evolve its credit culture to encourage business risk-taking without punitive liabilities.
• Historical Industrial Growth: Many foundational industries after Independence, like fertilisers and steel plants, were established in Bihar, reflecting the state’s historic industrial importance.
• Empowering Women: Agarwal underscores women’s financial independence as critical to societal transformation and economic growth.

Innovating Physiotherapy Through Gamification: Hyderabad’s BeAble Health

Addressing the rehabilitation challenges faced by stroke survivors, Hyderabad-based startup BeAble Health is revolutionizing physiotherapy via gamification. Their product, ArmAble, is a smart rehabilitation device that turns traditional exercise routines into engaging and familiar games, thereby boosting patient motivation and adherence.

This novel approach combines healthcare and technology to improve recovery outcomes by making rehabilitation interactive and fun.

Startups to Watch and Market Updates

• Mitra: Raised Rs 14 Cr in a bridge funding round.
• Mithila Foods: Secured Rs 1.5 Cr seed funding.
• Edgehax: Completed Rs 1.39 Cr seed funding round.

Additionally, fintech startup PayNearby plans an IPO in the coming financial year to fund expansion amid India’s position as the world’s second-largest IPO market.

On the technology front, Google has expanded its AI Mode feature globally to 180 countries, enhancing personalized and agentic search capabilities. Conversely, Meta has imposed a hiring freeze on its AI division after restructuring, pausing recruitment efforts indefinitely.

Trivia: Ganesh Chaturthi’s Revival as a Public Festival

Ganesh Chaturthi was revived as a public festival in Maharashtra during the 19th century by freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak. The festival had lapsed into private family celebrations after the fall of the Maratha Empire.

India’s tech, gaming, and startup landscapes are witnessing dynamic shifts—regulated real-money gaming, homegrown AI innovation, and resource-technology integration promising exciting growth avenues despite challenges.

Source

This article was auto-generated as part of a smart content campaign. Curious how we do it? Chat with us to learn more about our content automation systems.