Bengaluru-based gaming and esports company Let’s Game Now has raised ₹30 crore in an investment round co-led by Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra and Bestvantage Investments, with participation from a UAE-based family office. The company plans to use the funding to accelerate the development of the Indian Super Gaming League (ISGL), a franchise-based esports competition designed to bring a structured, season-based format to India’s competitive gaming ecosystem.
The investment marks a significant step in the company’s efforts to build a gaming property that combines competitive esports, sports franchises, entertainment and technology. The proposed league aims to create a platform where professional gamers can compete through organised teams and tournaments, with a structure inspired by established Indian sports leagues.
Indian Super Gaming League at the Centre of Expansion Plans
The Indian Super Gaming League was announced in March 2026 as a franchise-based national esports competition. Unlike standalone gaming tournaments, the league follows a season-based model with permanent team identities and franchise ownership.
The inaugural format features eight franchises associated with established Indian sports organisations. These include Mumbai City FC, FC Goa, Chennaiyin FC, Kerala Blasters FC, Inter Kashi, Puneri Paltan, Bangalore Bhargavas and Andhra Agneyas.
The competition brings together multiple gaming titles, including chess, EA Sports FC 26, Call of Duty: Mobile and Cricket 26. The league’s format uses city-level qualifiers to identify players, with successful participants progressing towards national-level competition.
The first city qualifier was held at NESCO in Mumbai, while the national grand finale was announced for Visakhapatnam.
By introducing permanent franchises and a structured competition calendar, ISGL aims to move esports beyond individual tournaments towards a more organised sports and entertainment ecosystem.
Anand Mahindra Brings Experience in Building Sports Leagues
Anand Mahindra’s participation adds an investor with experience in developing professional sports properties in India.
He previously co-founded the Pro Kabaddi League in 2014 through Mashal Sports, alongside Charu Sharma. The competition helped establish a professional franchise-based structure for kabaddi and expand the sport’s television and commercial reach.
Mahindra has also been associated with the Global Chess League. His involvement in ISGL reflects an interest in extending structured league-based models to emerging competitive formats.
The investment also comes as esports organisers seek to develop sustainable commercial models through franchise ownership, sponsorships, broadcasting and audience engagement.
Let’s Game Now’s Existing Gaming Network
Founded in 2018 by Santanu Basu, Let’s Game Now operates an esports and gaming platform that connects brands with gaming communities. Its activities include online tournaments, large-scale offline events, live broadcasting and gaming-led brand campaigns across South Asia and Southeast Asia.
The company reports a total reach of more than 50 million, over 2,000 events organised, more than 30 clients served and operations across 18 countries.
Its gaming community has more than 1.4 million members, including approximately 387,900 YouTube subscribers and 193,300 Discord members. The company also reports a database of more than 100,000 gamers and around 40,000 Instagram followers.
These existing networks could provide a foundation for attracting players, viewers, sponsors and other partners to the proposed league.
College Network to Support Grassroots Esports Participation
Let’s Game Now has also developed a presence across educational institutions, with activities in more than 400 colleges across over 80 cities.
The company says its campus initiatives have reached more than 700,000 students through over 20 events and more than 30 college club partnerships.
This network could help expand participation in competitive gaming by connecting student communities with organised tournaments and opportunities to progress towards larger competitions.
The development of grassroots participation is an important part of building a sustainable esports ecosystem, particularly as organisers seek to identify emerging talent and create pathways from local competitions to professional-level events.
Funding to Accelerate League Development
The ₹30 crore investment will be directed towards accelerating the development of the Indian Super Gaming League. The company is seeking to build a platform connecting players, teams, fans, brands and entertainment partners.
The franchise model is intended to provide continuity through recurring seasons, team identities and organised competitions. It also creates opportunities for commercial partnerships involving sponsors, broadcasters and sports organisations.
However, the company has not publicly disclosed its valuation, the equity stake involved in the investment or the individual contributions made by the investors.
The long-term commercial performance of the league will depend on its ability to attract consistent audiences, secure sponsorships and broadcasting partnerships, and sustain franchise participation across multiple seasons.
Building a Structured Future for Indian Esports
India has a large gaming community, but converting that participation into a commercially sustainable professional esports ecosystem remains a key challenge.
Let’s Game Now is seeking to address this gap through a franchise-based league that combines established sports organisations with competitive gaming. Its existing tournament network, campus presence and brand partnerships provide a starting point for developing the competition.
With Anand Mahindra, Bestvantage Investments and a UAE-based family office backing the initiative, the company now plans to accelerate the development of ISGL and expand its position in India’s gaming and entertainment industry.
The initiative reflects growing investor interest in organised esports as a business combining technology, sports, media and entertainment. Its success will ultimately depend on whether the league can build sustained viewership and a recurring commercial ecosystem beyond its initial launch.
Disclaimer: This report has been editorially prepared using publicly available information and official company disclosures. Readers are advised to refer to official company announcements and disclosures for further details.
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