Revolution in Indian esports: Government launches cash incentive programme for gamers

February 13, 2025

Revolution in Indian esports: Government launches cash incentive programme for gamers

The Indian esports community has received a significant boost with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ decision to include esports medal winners and their coaches under its Cash Incentive Programme. This initiative, spearheaded by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, aligns esports with traditional sports, providing much-needed financial recognition and inspiring more players to pursue esports as a professional career.

What this decision means for Indian esports

India already has more than 500 million gamers and 1.5 million active esports players, a figure that is continuously increasing. Competitive gaming has taken off exponentially, with tournaments offering substantial prizes and international recognition. With government intervention, this industry is likely to boom, attracting more investment and talent.

With this move, esports players and coaches will now receive government-backed financial rewards, significantly boosting their morale and helping them focus entirely on training and competition. It also encourages younger talent to dream big, compete nationally, and represent India globally.

🚨 Sports Ministry has added Esports to the list of sports eligible for cash incentives for medal winners from World and Continental Championships.

The IOC has already announced the inaugural Olympics Esports Games in Saudi Arabia. pic.twitter.com/uC9ejOMQr8
— The Khel India (@TheKhelIndia) February 11, 2025

The role of ESFI in promoting esports

The Esports Federation of India (ESFI) has been instrumental in pushing for government recognition. ESFI Director Lokesh Suji called this move a “landmark moment for Indian Esports,” emphasising that it will drive grassroots participation and strengthen India’s position in the international esports arena.

Suji said, “This is a landmark moment for Indian esports. The government’s recognition of esports medallists and their coaches with financial incentives is a defining step for our sport. India is already a force to reckon with in esports, and this initiative will inspire more young talents to compete on the international stage. We foresee an exponential rise in grassroots participation and the development of India’s esports ecosystem.”

Suji further stated, “This is a great start, and eventually, we will see this incentive scheme extended to Asian Level Esports Championships as well. We request that all states include our esports medallists in the state-level cash incentive schemes.”

Government support and its Impact on the esports ecosystem

Financial incentives will motivate players and foster a structured training ecosystem. Until now, esports in India lacked dedicated coaching staff and technical experts. By offering incentives to coaches, the government has paved the way for the professionalisation of esports training, which is essential for India’s development in this sector.

India has already achieved remarkable success in global esports tournaments, with notable accomplishments including Wasfi Bilal winning a silver medal in Tekken, Pavan Kampelli securing a bronze in eFootball, Tirth Mehta becoming India’s first esports medallist at the Asian Games 2018, and the DOTA2 team emerging as winners at the Commonwealth Esports Championships.

Eligible esports athletes and their coaches can apply for financial incentives through the Department of Sports’ DBT-MIS Portal. Applications must be submitted within six months of the respective event’s conclusion.

ESFI’s upcoming events and partnerships

To further enhance the esports ecosystem, ESFI is organising the National Esports Championship (NESC), partnering with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit in May 2025, and hosting the Waves Esports Championship to promote both national and international competition.