Casual, fantasy, pro: 2020, a year when online gaming hit the jackpot

The numbers were driven by an increase in mobile phone usage as well as greater internet penetration

Acute economic distress forced several businesses to fold up in 2020, while many reeled under the pressure of the pandemic and barely survived. There was, however, one industry that not only thrived but also saw the entry of new competitors and investors: Online gaming.

Online retailers, over-the-top (OTT) services, hand sanitiser manufacturers and food delivery aggregators were all beneficiaries of the pandemic, but little could match the staggering success of gaming platforms, which, aided by protracted lockdowns, attracted record traffic.

“We have seen great traction over the past few months, growing from 40 million users to over 70 million users,” says Sai