US EditionHike, Once a Unicorn, Shuts Down as India Cracks Down on Real-Money Gaming
After India banned real-money gaming, Hike, which earned $500 million and had 10 million users, ceased operations due to regulatory challenges and halted its international expansion plans.
- Kavin Bharti Mittal announced on 13 September 2025 the complete shutdown of Hike, a 13-year-old Indian startup originally launched as a messaging app in 2012.
- The shutdown came in the wake of India's 2025 legislation that imposed a comprehensive ban on real-money gaming, presenting regulatory challenges that hindered Hike's transition to its gaming service, Rush.
- Hike, once a unicorn valued at $1.4 billion and reaching 40 million monthly active users, had transitioned to Rush, which generated over $500 million and served more than 10 million users globally.
- Mittal announced that after reevaluating with investors and the team, he has chosen to fully shut down Hike, noting that launching in India subjected the company to regulatory challenges that hindered its potential for international expansion.
- The shutdown signals broader industry impact including layoffs across gaming startups and concerns that the ban may boost unregulated offshore platforms and gambling black markets.
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New Movies & TV Shows, Trailers & ReviewsHike, once a unicorn, shuts down as India cracks down on real-money gaming
Hike, which started as a WhatsApp rival before pivoting to real-money gaming, is now sunsetting after India's sweeping ban.
The former Indian unicorn Hike draws his reverence after thirteen years of existence, victim of the recent government regulation on gambling. Kavin Bharti Mittal, son of the founder of Airtel and head of the company, announces the definitive closure of his startup, formerly valued at $1.4 billion. A decision that illustrates the devastating impact of the new one ... Read more The article Hike puts an end to its operations in the face of the ban …
Hike Shuts Global Operations
“After regrouping with our investors and the team, I’ve made the difficult decision to wind down Hike completely,” Web3 gaming startup Hike’s founder and CEO Kavin Bharti Mittal shared in a post on social media while announcing the end of the road for Hike. The shutdown follows the Indian government’s recent crackdown on online real money gaming (RMG), which forced Hike to halt its India operations in August and shift focus to global markets. H…
Kavin Bharti Mittal shuts down Hike after India’s Real-Money Gaming ban
New Delhi: Kavin Bharti Mittal, the founder of Hike and the son of the chairman of Bharti Airtel, Sunil Bharti Mittal, has announced that his startup will be completely shut down after 13 years. It was decided upon after India banned real-money gaming (RMG), a business Hike had transitioned into on its platform Rush. Mittal, in a Substack post, described the decision as a hard choice and said that regulatory issues were the most important factor…
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