Dream11 is an Indian fantasy sports platform that allows users to create virtual teams of real players from upcoming sporting events and earn points based on the actual on-field performance of those players. The platform offers fantasy contests across cricket, football, kabaddi, basketball, hockey, volleyball, handball, baseball and American football. It is operated by Sporta Technologies Private Limited and is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
| Type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Fantasy sports, online gaming |
| Founders | Harsh Jain, Bhavit Sheth |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Headquarters | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Parent | Dream Sports |
| Operating entity | Sporta Technologies Pvt. Ltd. |
| Country of origin | India |
Dream11 was founded by Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth, who set up the company after observing the popularity of fantasy sports in markets such as the United States and the relative absence of a comparable cricket-focused product in India. The platform initially experimented with season-long fantasy formats before transitioning to a daily and match-based fantasy model, which proved better suited to Indian audiences and the structure of cricket tournaments.
The company is the flagship business of Dream Sports, a sports technology group that also includes ventures in ticketing, fitness and sports content.
Users select a virtual team of players within a defined credit and role-composition limit before a real-world match begins. Points are awarded based on the statistical performance of the chosen players in that match. Contests include free-to-play formats as well as paid contests with cash prizes. Dream11 has positioned itself within the legal framework recognised by Indian courts that classify fantasy sports as a game of skill rather than chance.
Dream11 has been associated with several major sporting bodies and tournaments in India and abroad. It has held title sponsorship and official partnership rights with the Indian Premier League (IPL) and has signed partnership agreements with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the International Cricket Council (ICC), the Pro Kabaddi League, and the International Hockey Federation, among others. The company has also been an official fantasy game partner for international cricket boards and football leagues at various points.
Fantasy sports in India operate under state-level regulation, and the legal status of paid fantasy contests has been examined in multiple courts. Decisions by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court of India have generally upheld the classification of Dream11's format as a game of skill. However, certain Indian states, including Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Odisha, Sikkim, Nagaland and Telangana, have at various times restricted access to paid fantasy sports under their respective gaming laws.
Dream11 is widely credited with popularising the fantasy sports category in India and is considered one of the country's prominent consumer internet companies. Its growth coincided with the rise of smartphone-based gaming and the expansion of digital cricket viewership, and the platform has become closely associated with the broadcast and streaming experience of major cricket tournaments in India.