A23 Parent HDW Shuts Cricket.com, Lays Off Employees Amid Gaming Ban Fallout

• Head Digital Works (HDW), parent company of A23, has shut down its cricket-focused content platform, Cricket.com, impacting around 16 employees.
• The closure is a direct consequence of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, which bans real-money online gaming, affecting platforms integrated with fantasy sports.
• Cricket.com, launched in 2019, offered live updates, analytics, and fantasy contests, gaining millions of downloads and celebrity endorsements.
• This shutdown is part of a larger restructuring at HDW, which recently laid off nearly 500 employees, and follows a major investment write-off by its majority shareholder, Clairvest Group Inc.
• HDW, which also operates A23 Rummy and A23 Poker, is challenging PROGA, 2025 in the Apex Court, highlighting the severe impact on India's online gaming sector.

Why It Matters: Gaming ban forces A23 parent HDW to shut Cricket.com, leading to layoffs and major financial losses.