TECHNOLOGY
Google to soon launch 'Search Live' AI chat feature in India
India is a key market for Google’s AI strategy as it reinvents its flagship search product for the generative AI era, shifting from simple information retrieval towards an intelligence-focused product.
STARTUP
Krafton to bolster India gaming incubator with deeper tech mentorship, new partners
Krafton's India gaming incubator has selected 10 studios from cities including Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Madurai in its first two cohorts, and has now opened registrations for the third cohort.
TECHNOLOGY
MC Interview: India could become leading exporter of AI technology, says Meta CMO Alex Schultz
Meta CMO Alex Schultz recently visited India, a market that has become crucial to the social networking giant's future growth strategy because of rapid AI adoption and a fast-growing digital economy.
BUSINESS
Pocket FM now lets Hindi writers in India create AI audio series in a single click
AI Audio Series is part of Pocket FM's broader AI creator suite that aims to help budding writers brainstorm, draft, and experiment faster, while accelerating story production.
TECHNOLOGY
WhatsApp on track to sell 100 million Metro tickets across India by end-2025: Meta's Sandhya Devanathan
In 2025, Meta has partnered with the state governments of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu, for a big e-governance push through WhatsApp-based citizen service delivery models.
BUSINESS
Former Gameskraft CFO diverted company funds to F&O trading, incurring Rs 250 crore losses, FIR says
The real-money gaming firm has filed a police complaint against former CFO Ramesh Prabhu for allegedly siphoning funds over nearly five years
STARTUP
Bharti Airtel scion Kavin Bharti Mittal to shut down Hike after India's real-money gaming ban
Last month, Kavin Bharti Mittal had stated plans of exiting India to focus on International markets such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia.
TECHNOLOGY
YouTube unveils India-first separate ad targeting for urban and rural audiences
Google-owned YouTube is also introducing new immersive masthead ads on connected TVs amid rising viewership and ahead of the festive season.
STARTUP
Gaming company Zupee cuts 170 jobs, offers financial assistance to impacted staff
Zupee joins a growing list of companies that have reduced their staff in recent weeks, as the industry grapples with the fallout of India's blanket ban on real-money games.
BUSINESS
Dream11-linked FIFS says it won't contest India's online gaming law that bans real-money games
According to sources, any FIFS member contesting the legislation will no longer be associated with the fantasy industry body.
STARTUP
Zupee taps micro dramas, subscriptions after real-money gaming ban
Zupee's paid subscription service, Zupee Plus, offers ad-free games and unlimited access to shows for Rs 499 for three months
TECHNOLOGY
Google expands its AI Mode search feature with Hindi support
AI Mode is Google's attempt to counter answer engines like Perplexity, which have gained ground over the past couple of years.
STARTUP
A23 owner Head Digital Works cuts around 500 jobs after govt's real-money gaming ban
Head Digital Works joins a growing list of real-money gaming companies that have carried out large-scale layoffs in the past week following the government's blanket ban.
STARTUP
Bitkraft Ventures to step up India investments after Centre's new online gaming law
Bitkraft expects five to six mobile games to surpass $100 million in annual in-app purchase (IAP) revenue in India by the end of 2025.
BUSINESS
Seekho raises $28 million funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners
Seekho, an edutainment video platform, plans to use the capital raised to build new interactive content formats and invest in AI-powered learning experiences.
STARTUP
After MPL and PokerBaazi parent, Games24x7 begins layoffs following govt ban on real-money games
Games24x7, which operates the online rummy platform Rummy Circle and fantasy sports platform My11Circle, is the latest casualty of the government's ban on real-money games.
STARTUP
Nazara-backed Baazi Games to cut over 200 jobs after govt's real-money gaming ban
The job cuts at the PokerBaazi parent firm comes after the government introduced a new online gaming law that has imposed a blanket ban on real-money games in the country.
STARTUP
MPL to significantly downsize its India workforce after govt's real-money gaming ban
MPL and other real-money gaming firms had suspended contests and games involving money on their platforms after the Parliament passed the online gaming law that prohibits such games.
STARTUP
Online gaming law: Karnataka HC to hear Head Digital Works' interim relief plea on September 8
Head Digital Works, which operates the online rummy platform A23 Rummy, had approached the Karnataka High Court on April 28, challenging the constitutional validity of the government's new online gaming law.
STARTUP
Gaming platform MPL won't contest real-money gaming ban
MPL joins a growing list of companies, including Dream11 parent Dream Sports, Gameskraft, Zupee, and PokerBaazi parent firm Moonshine Technology, which have decided not to challenge the law
STARTUP
A23 owner Head Digital Works moves Karnataka High Court against real-money gaming ban
This marks the first legal challenge to the promotion and regulation online gaming law. The high court is expected to hear the matter on August 30.
STARTUP
After Dream11 and Gameskraft, Zupee says it won't challenge India's real-money gaming ban
Zupee plans to shift its focus to developing online social games and entertainment avenues that "go beyond mere recreation"
STARTUP
99% of Dream11's 260 million users never won or lost more than Rs 10,000 in their lifetime, says co-founder Harsh Jain
Dream Sports CEO Harsh Jain said that regulation would have been the right approach to address the issue of societal impact and financial distress linked to RMG apps, as prohibition is likely to increase the prevalence of a black market.
STARTUP
Nazara, nCore Games, others form new video game association after online gaming law
Indian Game Publishers and Developers Association aims to promote the creation of original Made-in-India IP, bring Indian stories into gaming, and skill-building across the AVGC value chain.
