India, Aug. 29 -- Last week, India's $12 Bn real money gaming (RMG) industry was dismantled overnight after a ban on many formats of online games. Within three days, the once-booming sector was reduced to rubble.

The hardest hit was Dream11, the country's most prominent RMG startup, valued at $8 Bn. Along with rivals MPL and WinZo, Dream11 was forced to shut down its fantasy sports app immediately.

Unlike some peers who signalled their intent to lobby against the government's decision by planning to move to court, Dream11 cofounder Harsh Jain made it clear that the startup would not contest the government's stance. Instead, the company is now attempting to redirect focus toward its wider sports tech ecosystem.

The lynchpin in that stra...