The Indian mobile gaming market generated US$2.2 billion in 2022, with smartphones accounting for 91% of the online gaming audience.
See it on page 5Non-real-money gaming (non-RMG) is dominated by Adventure, Battle Royale, Puzzle, Arcade, and Racing genres, while real-money gaming (RMG) centers on card games and sports-fantasy.
See it on page 3Demographics skew young, with 55% of Adventure and Battle Royale players falling into the 13–27 age bracket, and 62% of non-RMG gamers being male.
See it on page 7Advertiser performance metrics show a 50% install-to-registration rate for casual games compared to 25% for card-based RMG, with casual game retention dropping from 30% on day one to 3% by day thirty.
See it on page 13Average revenue per user is projected to reach US$1.5 by 2027, necessitating a focus on vernacular creatives and in-game advertising to overcome current monetization challenges.
See it on page 5Market maturation is being driven by emerging trends including Web3 play-to-earn models, the expansion of esports, and the consolidation of super-apps.
See it on page 21The report examines the rapidly expanding Indian mobile gaming market, highlighting a projected 91 % share of online gamers playing on smartphones and an estimated revenue of US$2.2 billion in 2022, with a projected average revenue per user of US$1.5 by 2027. It distinguishes between non‑real‑money gaming (non‑RMG) and real‑money gaming (RMG), focusing on the top five non‑RMG genres—Adventure, Battle Royale, Puzzle, Arcade, and Racing—and key RMG categories such as card‑based games, sports‑fantasy, and casual RMG. Data sourced from Newzoo consumer research and MAAS campaign analytics reveal that 62 % of non‑RMG players are male, while RMG users skew slightly more balanced at 55 % male. Millennials and Gen‑Z (ages 13–41) dominate, with 55 % of adventure and battle royale players in the 13‑27 bracket. Motivations differ: non‑RMG gamers seek entertainment and challenge, whereas RMG players are driven by seasonal events like cricket tournaments or festive card‑game gatherings.
Key performance indicators for advertisers include install‑to‑registration rates of ~50 % for casual games and ~25 % for card‑based RMG, with retention dropping from 30 % on day one to 3 % by day thirty for casual titles. The analysis underscores the importance of vernacular creatives, cross‑interest programmatic targeting, and multi‑channel optimization to reduce audience overlap. It also notes emerging trends—Web3 play‑to‑earn models, esports growth, and super‑app consolidation—that signal continued market maturation. The report concludes that while monetization remains a challenge for non‑RMG segments, strategic acquisition and in‑game advertising innovations can unlock substantial growth across India’s diverse gaming ecosystem.
