Delhi High Court: “American Dream11” Cannot Use Dream11 mark; Parties to Explore Mediation
The Delhi High Court in Sporta Technologies v. American Dream 11 has granted interim relief to fantasy sports platform Dream11 in a trademark infringement case against “American Dream11”.
Justice Tejas Karia directed the operators of “American Dream11” to stop using the Dream11 mark and to take down all social media pages, profiles and any content using the Dream11 name or similar variants. This applies across platforms including Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram, till the next date of hearing.
In court, the defendants stated that they would stop operating in India and would block access to their website, americandream11.us, for Indian users. They also agreed not to use the name “American Dream11” and not to offer any Dream11-branded mobile app in India. However, their counsel said he had no instructions regarding deletion of social media accounts.
Appearing for Dream11, Advocate Shwetasree Majumdar explained that the dispute must be seen in the context of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, which has banned online real money games. After this law came into force, Dream11 shifted to a free-to-play model.
She argued that the defendants’ offshore platform gave Indian users the impression that they could still participate in pay-to-play fantasy games “through their American site”. According to her, this suggested a way to bypass Indian restrictions and wrongly attract Dream11’s Indian user base.
Majumdar also submitted that the adoption of the name “American Dream11” was not bona fide. She pointed out similarities in user interface, layout, colour scheme, logo placement and player images. She further highlighted Hindi-language posts, use of jerseys sponsored by Dream11 and India-focused cricket promotions, all indicating that Indian users were being targeted.
These actions, she said, contradicted the defendants’ July 2025 claim that they were operating only in the United States and Canada. Dream11 also informed the Court that the defendants had incorporated a company named American Dream 11 Fantasy Sports Private Limited in India just days before sending that email, making their assurances “patently false”.
At the request of the defendants, the Court has now referred the parties to mediation before the Delhi High Court Mediation and Conciliation Centre on 17 November. The matter has been listed next for hearing on 18 December.
