Anand Mahindra backs esports firm Let's Game Now in Rs 30 crore round

Let's Game Now, an Indian esports company founded by Santanu Basu, has raised Rs 30 crore in a round led by industrialist Anand Mahindra and Bestvantage Investments, with a UAE-based family office also taking part, according to reports on October 28, 2026. The money will be used to build the Indian Super Gaming League (ISGL), a franchise-based national esports competition the company runs. Mahindra confirmed the investment in a post on X on October 28, in which he compared the league with the Pro Kabaddi League, according to reports of the post. The valuation and the size of each investor's stake were not disclosed.

Esports means organised, competitive video gaming, played by professional or semi-professional teams for prize money and audiences, much like a traditional sport. India's esports scene has mostly run as one-off tournaments, which makes it hard for teams to earn steady income or for players to treat gaming as a career. A franchise league, where teams own permanent slots and play a regular season, is the model used by cricket's IPL and the Pro Kabaddi League: owners can plan sponsorships and media deals over several years because they know their team will be there next season.

ISGL borrows that model and its owners. Most of its franchises belong to clubs from the Indian Super League in football and from kabaddi, which already have fan bases, marketing teams and city identities. Mahindra's backing is significant for the same reason: reports say he likened ISGL to the Pro Kabaddi League, which shows the kind of path he sees for it.

The timing also matters for start-ups in gaming. Recent rules banned real-money gaming in India, which pushed investors away from fantasy and betting-style apps; one earlier investor in Let's Game Now exited after that change, according to start-up data platform CB Insights. Skill-based esports with no money staked by players is the part of the industry that remains open, and this round shows investors are willing to fund it.

The league's qualifier circuit is meant to reach beyond the big metros. City-level competitions leading to a final in Visakhapatnam offer young players in smaller cities a route to be scouted, which is the kind of opportunity this sub-page tracks.

Short-term: The money gives Let's Game Now funds to run the league's qualifiers and season, pay for production and broadcasting, and sign sponsors. Players and teams can expect a more regular calendar of competitions.

Long-term: If ISGL attracts viewers and sponsors, it could create paid jobs for players, coaches, analysts, shoutcasters (live commentators), video producers and event staff, and give clubs a second sport to market to younger fans. If it struggles, it would show that India's esports audience is still not ready to support a full franchise league.

Who is affected: young gamers looking for a professional path; football and kabaddi clubs that own ISGL franchises; game publishers whose titles are played in the league; brands seeking young audiences; and host cities such as Visakhapatnam.

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