Is Desipoly a fantasy-sports app?

No. Fantasy sports apps like Dream11 ask you to pick a squad and score points based on real-world player performance. Desipoly is a prediction market where you buy YES or NO shares on discrete outcomes with a fixed payoff and live price.

Are prediction markets classed as 'games of skill' in India?

That specific legal classification is used for fantasy sports under various state laws in India. Prediction markets are a distinct product category with a different legal footprint. Desipoly is hosted offshore, is not a licensed Indian gaming operator, and does not operate under India's 'game of skill' jurisprudence.

What's the biggest mechanical difference?

Time. Fantasy sports contests are single-event, fixed-entry contests. Prediction markets trade continuously — the price updates every second and you can exit at any time before resolution.

Can I trade IPL markets on Desipoly like I play Dream11?

You can take positions on IPL outcomes, but the product is different. You don't pick a squad — you trade YES/NO on 'CSK wins IPL 2026' or 'Player X gets Orange Cap'. See Bet on the IPL for examples.

Guides · Core explainer

Prediction markets vs fantasy sports

Fantasy sports and prediction markets both let you put money on sporting outcomes, but the product design, payout structure, and legal footprint are very different. Desipoly is not Dream11.

The product: squad vs share

On Dream11, MyCircle11, and similar apps, you build a virtual squad of real players within a salary cap. Your squad earns points based on real performance, and you win if your squad beats most others in your contest.

On Desipoly, there is no squad. You answer a binary question. "Will CSK win IPL 2026?" is a market. You buy YES or NO. Each YES share pays $1 USDC if CSK wins, $0 otherwise.

Payout structure

Fantasy. Tournament pool, ranked payouts. Top 10% often win something; the rest lose their entry fee. Leaderboard-based.
Prediction market. Binary. Every share pays exactly $1 or $0. Your payout is your shares × $1, regardless of how many other people were right.

Time and liquidity

Fantasy contests are locked at match start. You can't adjust your squad mid-game; you can't exit if you change your mind.

Prediction markets trade continuously until the resolution deadline. Prices update with news. If India's captain gets injured at toss, you can sell before the auction-market effect fully prices in. See reading market prices.

The legal layer

Fantasy sports in India have been classified by several Indian courts as a "game of skill" — a carve-out from state gambling laws that applies to licensed operators. Dream11, MPL, and others operate under this regime and pay state taxes and GST accordingly.

Desipoly is not a licensed Indian gaming operator. It is hosted offshore, does not accept INR, and is not regulated by SEBI or any Indian gaming authority. The product is a crypto-settled prediction market — a different category from "real money gaming" under Indian state law.

This is a user-responsibility product. If you're in a jurisdiction that restricts prediction markets, you shouldn't use it. See is Desipoly legal in India? for the full picture.

Who takes the other side

Fantasy app. Users compete against other users. The operator takes a platform fee from the prize pool.
Prediction market. Users trade YES and NO against each other via an AMM or order book. The operator takes a small trading fee. No house position.

Currency and settlement

Fantasy. INR. Deposits and withdrawals via UPI, net-banking, cards. KYC required.
Desipoly. USDC on Polygon. No INR. Wallet-based identity; no KYC at launch for trading.

Which is for you?

If you love building a squad and competing against friends on a single match, fantasy apps are the right product. If you want a live price on a future outcome and the ability to exit at any time, prediction markets are the right product. The two are complements, not substitutes.