Gaming
AIGDF releases white paper on age-rating framework for gaming content in India
Mumbai: The All-India Game Developers’ Forum (AIGDF), in partnership with the Indian Governance and Policy Project (IGAP), has released a pioneering report titled “India’s Gaming Industry: Time For Age & Content Ratings?”. This report underscores the critical need for a structured age and content rating system tailored to the unique cultural and regulatory landscape of India’s rapidly expanding gaming industry.
Key findings of report:
● Regulatory Vacuum: Despite an estimated 425 million gamers, the increasing consumption of gaming content, India currently lacks a standardized age-rating framework, unlike other digital content sectors such as OTT platforms, and frameworks in other nations/regions.
● International Best Practices: The report examines leading global age-rating systems, including the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) in North America and the Pan European Game Information (PEGI) system, providing valuable insights for the development of a domestic rating model.
● Proposed Indian Framework: The report also outlines features for a proposed age-rating framework for gaming in India, emphasizing the need for categories and descriptors that reflect the cultural sensitivities and legal requirements unique to the Indian context.
Commenting on the release, AIGDF spokesperson Roland Landers said, “As India’s gaming industry continues to grow at an unprecedented pace, it is imperative to establish a robust framework to protect our younger gamers. This report provides a blueprint for industry leaders and policymakers to ensure that gaming in India is not only entertaining but also safe and responsible.”
Landers further added, “The gaming industry will continue to have the fastest growth in the Media & Entertainment sector over the next few years, and a substantial chunk of this growth will come from the Free to Play segment. We’ve recently seen proposals for time and spending limits, and previously there have even been bans. While the intent to protect is clear, these measures often feel like ad-hoc, knee-jerk reactions that could stifle the industry’s potential rather than nurture it. Instead, we believe in a collaborative approach. Let’s engage in a conversation about the best ways to regulate and support this dynamic industry. By looking at global best practices, such as parental controls and age verification systems, we can find solutions that protect players without hampering growth. This is just the beginning. We are committed to working closely with all stakeholders—players, parents, developers, and regulators—to ensure that the gaming industry in India continues to flourish in a responsible and sustainable manner.”
The report aims to foster a dialogue between stakeholders, including government bodies, industry leaders, and consumer groups, to implement a framework that ensures a secure and enjoyable gaming environment for all, especially our younger players.
Gaming
MTG gaming chief Benninghoff joins NODWIN board as esports firm primes for IPO
The Gurugram-based esports firm is pursuing a public listing, has returned to profitability and is growing revenues by 42 per cent
GURUGRAM: NODWIN Gaming is moving fast. The Gurugram-based gaming and esports company has launched a pre-IPO fundraising round, appointed UBS as lead adviser for both the round and a subsequent public listing, and landed a heavyweight board director, all in one go.
The new board member is Arnd Benninghoff, executive vice president of gaming at Stockholm-listed Modern Times Group (MTG), who has overseen the group’s strategic investments and portfolio growth since 2014. He is no stranger to building things: Benninghoff has founded and built fifteen companies, served as chief digital officer at ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, managing director of SevenVentures, and chief executive of Holtzbrinck eLAB. He began his career as a journalist at Deutsche Presse Agentur and various TV networks, holds a Diplom-Kaufmann in business and administration from the University of Münster, and previously sat on the board of Edgeware AB.
The numbers back the ambition
NODWIN is not pitching a story without substance. The company has returned to EBITDA profitability and posted a 42 per cent year-on-year revenue surge, reaching $58.5m in the first nine months of FY2026. The pre-IPO round will combine a primary issuance to fund global expansion through organic growth and acquisitions, alongside a secondary sale to give existing shareholders some liquidity.
Akshat Rathee, co-founder and managing director of NODWIN Gaming, said Benninghoff understands “the entire lifecycle of the gaming and media ecosystem, from the boots-on-the-ground reality of building startups to the strategic complexity of managing multi-billion dollar global portfolios.”
Benninghoff, for his part, said the company “sits at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and technology, making it one of the most exciting players in the global gaming landscape today.”
A portfolio built for the global south
Founded in 2014 by Rathee and Gautam Virk, NODWIN has quietly assembled one of the more compelling esports portfolios outside the Western hemisphere. Its properties include DreamHack India and Comic Con India, and it recently acquired StarLadder, the Ukraine-based tournament organiser behind premier events in CS:GO and Dota 2. The company also serves as a long-term strategic marketing partner for the Evolution Championship Series (EVO), the world’s most prominent fighting game tournament, helping push it into new geographies.
Its geographic focus spans South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Backers include Nazara Technologies, KRAFTON, Sony Group Corporation, JetSynthesys, and the founders’ investment vehicle Good Game Investments.
What comes next
With UBS running the books, a board freshly reinforced with European media and gaming expertise, and revenue heading in the right direction, NODWIN is laying the groundwork deliberately. The esports industry has burned investors before with big promises and thin margins. NODWIN’s return to profitability, combined with a real portfolio of owned intellectual properties across gaming, music and youth culture, gives it a more credible runway than most. The IPO clock is now ticking.
