Gaming
Games24x7 Foundation unveils ‘Wheels of Change’ on national girl child day
Mumbai: Games24x7 Foundation, the non-profit arm of Games24x7, one of online skill gaming companies, is reshaping the landscape of education for underprivileged girls with the launch of ‘Wheels of Change’ on National Girl Child Day. A response to the staggering challenge of over 5.5 Lakh out-of-school girls in India1, this initiative addresses the prevalent issue of distance acting as a deterrent for girl students, often a decisive factor in their unfortunate dropout.
In unveiling the ‘Wheels of Change’ initiative, Games24x7 co-founder and CEO Bhavin Pandya declared, “The Games24x7 Foundation passionately commits to dismantling barriers faced by aspiring girl students in an effort to promote education for all in our country. A small step towards this large endeavour is taken in the distant towns of Dharashiv, Maharashtra of ensuring access to high school education for girl students. At the Games24x7 Foundation, our vision is to empower the youth, catalysing lasting impact for future generations. Through the ‘Wheels of Change’ initiative, we aim to empower a cultural transformation, fostering a society where learning and aspiration know no bounds. This endeavour is fuelled by the unwavering support of the Ministry of Public Health and Family Welfare, Government of Maharashtra, propelling our mission to build an inclusive and progressive future.”
Maharashtra’s student dropout rates stand at a 10.7 per cent annual rate at the secondary level (national average 12.6 per cent) in 2021-2022. However, in five districts, it soars past 15 per cent. Recognising this as a barrier to the new National Education Policy 100 per cent enrolment goal by 2030, Games24x7 Foundation is set to distribute 1000 bicycles in Dharashiv district—specifically Bhoom, Washi, Paranda. The initiative aims to offer a sense of independence, security, and shorter commutes, breaking barriers to education for deserving girls.
The ‘Wheels of Change’ is Games24x7 Foundation’s impactful stride, building on Games24x7’s successful ventures in education, hunger, and healthcare. Collaborating with local authorities, the foundation will host orientation sessions on road safety and will compile data on attendance, punctuality, and educational aspirations, offering valuable insights into the initiative’s transformative impact. This marks a pivotal step in the Foundation’s mission for building a framework to stimulate impact for generations to come.
Games24x7 Foundation stands strong with its parent organisations’ previous collaborations with Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation (KSCF), Hemkunt Foundation, Christel House and many more non-for-profit organisations driving impactful initiatives. Notably, Games24x7’s partnership on a child trafficking study with the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation lending their tech for good, brought forward a tool for KSCF and its partners to analyse data collected from the vulnerable children in real time. These initiatives lay the foundation for meaningful change in countless lives across the nation.
Learn more about our initiatives and the Science of Gaming ethos at https://www.games24x7.com/csr
Gaming
Dream Sports sees 100 plus exits after gaming ban forces overhaul
Company splits into eight units as real money gaming law hits revenue.
MUMBAI: For a company built on fantasy leagues, reality has suddenly rewritten the rulebook. More than 100 employees have exited Dream Sports, the parent of Dream11, after the company reorganised its operations following India’s ban on real money online gaming. The shake up came after the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 came into force in August 2025, prohibiting games where users deposit money expecting winnings. The regulation struck at the heart of the fantasy gaming industry and dramatically affected Dream Sports’ core business, wiping out about 95 percent of its revenue and all of its profits.
In response, the Mumbai based company shifted into what chief executive officer Harsh Jain described as “startup mode”, splitting its operations into eight independent business units in December.
Around 700 employees were reassigned across these newly formed ventures based on their experience and interests. However, roughly 15 percent opted to leave the company.
A spokesperson for Dream Sports said many of those who exited were experienced professionals accustomed to running scaled businesses rather than early stage ventures.
“Since some of these employees were experienced with running high scale businesses and not startups, around 15 percent chose to leave and join other scaled companies or start ventures of their own,” the spokesperson said.
Despite the departures, the company noted that the attrition rate is only slightly higher than its earlier level of around 10 percent before the ban. Dream Sports now has close to 950 employees and is not currently hiring, choosing instead to focus on stabilising its existing workforce.
The restructuring has transformed Dream Sports from a fantasy gaming company into a broader sports entertainment platform. The eight units now operate independently, each focusing on different segments of the sports and technology ecosystem.
These include Dream11, sports streaming platform Fancode, sports travel service DreamSetGo, mobile game Dream Cricket and artificial intelligence initiative Dream Sports AI, which includes sports analytics platform Dream Play.
Other ventures include fintech product Dream Money, open source initiative Dream Horizon and the philanthropic arm Dream Sports Foundation.
As part of cost saving efforts, Dream Sports also relocated its headquarters from Bandra Kurla Complex to Worli earlier this year. The new office, called Dream Sports Stadium, brings teams from its various brands together under one roof to improve collaboration and operational efficiency.
Jain had earlier said the company removed bonus lock in timelines for employees hired in recent years, allowing those who wished to leave to exit with pro rata payouts.
“We want people who are fully into the startup mode and willing to work for it, and we will share that reward if it comes,” he said.
Founded in 2008 by Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth, Dream Sports was last valued at 8 billion dollars after raising 840 million dollars in 2021 from investors including Falcon Edge Capital, DST Global, D1 Capital Partners, RedBird Capital Partners, Tiger Global Management, TPG and Footpath Ventures.
The new gaming law has forced several companies in the fantasy gaming sector to either shut down or pivot their business models, signalling a significant reset for one of India’s fastest growing digital entertainment industries.
