India, Feb. 28 -- Karnataka's IT and BT minister Priyank Kharge has reportedly revealed the state's plan of becoming India's leading esports hub, as the sector has been gaining traction in the southern pockets.

He was speaking at the Bengaluru GAFX 2025 conference yesterday (February 27).

"This year, I am hopeful that we will be hosting our own National Esports Festival. My intention is to hold the nation's and perhaps Asia's biggest esporting festival for our gaming community," Kharge was quoted as saying in Moneycontrol's report.

This comes at a time when esports and real money gaming (RMG) has been tangled with emerging regulations and rise in tax loads for over a year now.

Despite its headwinds, the rapid smartphone penetration, i...