MPL is on a sticky wicket

Hit by recent taxation laws, the six-year-old startup has shifted its focus from real-money gaming to big-budget video games. But the road ahead is not all that smooth.

For the first time in its history, Mobile Premier League isn’t able to raise money, says an investment banker who tracks the gaming sector and requested anonymity. And the startup—otherwise an investor darling—has tried hard. 

The reason is straightforward. The six-year-old venture, also one of the most highly valued gaming companies in India, now needs to start its story from scratch. 

MPL was founded in 2018 and its core business has always been real-money gaming, where its users get a chance to win money by participating in different games. The company offers more than 60 games including cards, fantasy sports, …

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Anuj Suvarna

Anuj covered all things startups and venture capital at The Morning Context. Previously, he worked at VCCircle, where he covered healthcare and private equity. Anuj studied mass communication at the Manipal Institute of Communication and before journalism, he operated a bar in Udupi.

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anuj@mailtmc.com

Bengaluru