Dream11 shifts to free-to-play model with ads & sponsorships

Fantasy sports platform Dream11 has shifted to a free-to-play format supported by advertising and sponsorships, opening up opportunities for brands to reach its user base.

The platform currently has around 250 million users across metros and smaller towns, with nearly 70% in the 18-35 age group and another 25% between 35-60. According to the platform, its 10 million daily active users make it one of the largest engaged sports audiences in the country.

The new model allows users to play without entry fees while still competing for daily prizes. For advertisers, this translates into active brand engagement opportunities integrated into gameplay rather than passive placements.

Several companies, including Swiggy, Astrotalk, and Tata Neu, have partnered with Dream11 under the new format.

Speaking about the development, Vikrant Mudaliar, Chief Marketing Officer, Dream Sports, said, “Over the years, many brands have shown strong interest in partnering with Dream11, and now, after our pivot to free-to-play fantasy sports, we have begun onboarding them selectively. Our new model ensures that every cricket fan can join the action completely for free, test their strategy, compete with millions of other sports fans, and win cash prizes and exciting brand-backed rewards. India’s passion for fantasy cricket continues to drive remarkable engagement, and product integrations like live cricket streaming within Dream11 via our portfolio platform, FanCode, mean that sports fans will always find fresh and engaging content. This journey of reimagining fantasy sports makes the experience more inclusive, competitive, and passion-driven, while giving advertisers quality reach, measurable engagement, and access to a very rich audience of millions of historically transacting users.”