The Delhi High Court (HC) ordered the blocking of several websites linked to gaming apps accused of copying the brand identity and interface of Dream11

The court restrained the operators of the apps “Come” and “Come Sports” from using Dream11’s trademarks or running services that appear connected to the fantasy sports platform

The court observed that the operators appeared to be passing off their services as being associated with Dream11, potentially misleading users into believing the apps were official

Months after the Central government’s crackdown on real-money gaming (RMG), a wave of offshore copycat apps has begun exploiting the brand equity of former market leaders.

In a recent development, the Delhi High Court (HC) ordered the blocking of several websites linked to gaming apps accused of copying the brand identity and interface of Dream11.

In an interim order dated February 24, the court restrained the operators of the apps “Come” and “Come Sports” from using Dream11’s trademarks or running services that appear connected to the fantasy sports platform.

The order followed a petition filed by Dream11’s parent, Sporta Technologies, which alleged that unknown operators were running RMG apps under names such as “Come x Dream11”, “Come”, and “Come Sports”. The company argued that these apps replicated key elements of Dream11’s branding, design language and user interface. Bar and Bench first reported the development.

According to the court order, the operators allegedly used similar logos, colour schemes and interface elements to those of Dream11. The apps were promoted on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram and distributed through APK download links hosted across multiple websites.

The court observed that the operators appeared to be passing off their services as being associated with Dream11, potentially misleading users into believing the apps were official or endorsed by the company. Justice Jyoti Singh held that the plaintiff had established a prima facie case of trademark and copyright infringement and could suffer “irreparable harm” if the activities were allowed to continue.

The court directed the Department of Telecommunications and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to instruct internet service providers to block access to 21 domains linked to the alleged infringing apps, including comesports.in, comeapk.in and dream11come.com. The websites were operational at the time of publishing. The operators have also been restrained from using Dream11’s trademarks in domain names, mobile applications, advertising or promotional material until the next hearing, scheduled for April.

The order comes at a challenging time for Dream11’s parent, Dream Sports. The company reported a net loss of INR 478.9 Cr in FY25, compared to a profit of INR 1,295.3 Cr in the previous year, largely due to exceptional expenses to its reverse flip to India.

During the fiscal year, Dream Sports’ operating revenue declined 14.8% to INR 6,759.3 Cr from INR 7,933.8 Cr a year earlier, while total expenses rose 8.5% to INR 7,122.6 Cr.

The broader gaming ecosystem, too, is undergoing structural change. With Parliament passing the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, the Centre effectively banned real-money gaming in India, prompting several companies to shut down or pivot their business models.

Dream Sports has been doubling down on adjacent verticals. It is expanding its sports content streaming platform FanCode, scaling investment-tech offerings under Dream Money, and experimenting with free-to-play formats and creator-led watchalongs on Dream11 — signalling a strategic shift as it seeks to reinvent its core business in a post-RMG landscape.