Death knell for online money games; Bambrew’s fight against household plastic

Hello,

Vedantu is laying the groundwork for a possible public listing in two years. 

The edtech startup, people familiar with the matter told YourStory, is seeking external investors for a secondary funding round that would enable its Chinese shareholders to exit ahead of IPO. 

The secondary funding round from external investors will come in addition to a primary infusion of about $12 million, with existing backers committing further capital.

ICYMI: The IPO domino effect.

In other news, the Karnataka High Court on Wednesday, during the ongoing bike taxi matter, observed that the state government’s move to ban bike taxis in the state was based on an insufficient argument. 

The observations come as a shot in the arm for bike taxi operators such as ride-hailing platforms Rapido, Uber, and Ola Consumer that were offering these services until the ban kicked in two months ago.

Lastly, AI frenzy is leading to skyrocketing valuations in the startup world. Here are the top unicorn companies so far in 2025. 

One Indian firm has made it to the list. Can you guess which one?

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• Death knell for online money games
• Bambrew’s fight against household plastic
• New hope for Devadasi survivors

Here’s your trivia for today: What is the name of the agreement that ended the Soviet Union?

Gaming

Death knell for online money games

The Indian government has taken a decisive step against real-money gaming, with the Lok Sabha passing the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025. The law imposes a blanket ban on all online games involving monetary stakes, effectively dismantling an industry that has grown rapidly over the past decade on the back of fantasy sports, rummy, poker, and trading platforms.

The bill declares that any game involving deposits or financial rewards will be illegal. Its provisions extend to offshore platforms accessible in India, granting the government powers to pursue foreign operators.

Sweeping regulations:

• The only carve-outs in the bill are for esports, which will be recognised as competitive sports with entry fees, and casual or social games that don’t involve winnings, though developers can still charge subscriptions or access fees.
• The All India Gaming Federation, E-Gaming Federation, and Federation of India Fantasy Sports have written to the Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah, seeking his intervention in the proposed bill.
• The new bill also raises questions on future sports sponsorships from these platforms, such as Dream 11, which splurged Rs 358 crore to get its name emblazoned across cricket jerseys for three years, and My11Circle, which doled out Rs 625 crore to join the Indian Premier League 2024 sponsorship roster.

Startup

Bambrew’s fight against household plastic

Bengaluru-based sustainable packaging provider Bambrew began its journey in 2019 as a B2B company, offering ecommerce platforms and quick-commerce players alternatives to plastic packaging. Over time, it built a client base of over 100 companies, including Amazon and Flipkart.

On August 15, the startup launched a direct-to-consumer (D2C) range including biodegradable garbage bags, bamboo paper towels, toilet rolls, sanitary disposal pouches, and pet waste bags, marking a new chapter in its sustainability journey. 

Sustainability needs: 

• Bambrew’s B2B products are available today in more than 10 countries. The company has a factory in Bengaluru. It also partners with other manufacturing units across India, which supply it with raw materials and manage production to optimise reach and reduce logistics costs.
• To meet its D2C goals, the startup is boosting its manufacturing, team, and distribution network. The company currently has a core team of 40 members and a floating workforce of 20-40 people at its factory. It plans to expand its workforce and infrastructure over the coming months.
• Bambrew’s longer-term plans include entering more segments such as dairy packaging, soap wrappers, and FMCG pouches, areas where plastic is still the norm. The company is also working on integrating recyclability into some of its materials, in addition to compostability.

Women Empowerment

New hope for Devadasi survivors

In the Devadasi system, “dedication” refers to the act of formally “offering” or “marrying” a girl to a deity. While framed as an act of devotion, in practice, it leaves the girl vulnerable to lifelong exploitation.

It is against this backdrop that Karnataka has introduced the Karnataka Devadasi (Prevention, Prohibition, Relief and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2025. Now, the law criminalises dedication ceremonies—imposing a minimum two-year prison sentence and Rs 1 lakh fine, increasing to up to seven years and Rs 2 lakh for repeat offences. 

News & updates

• Earnings: Dutch technology investor Prosus plans to raise $2 billion through asset sales in the near term, the company's CEO said on Wednesday as he announced a 54% increase in quarterly earnings.
• Slowdown: Chinese search engine company Baidu on Wednesday reported a drop in second-quarter revenue as its core advertising business struggled amid China's economic slowdown, while returns from AI investments remained limited.
• Pixel phones: Google on Wednesday debuted its latest line of Pixel smartphones that prominently feature the Gemini assistant as artificial intelligence increasingly becomes the battleground where device companies compete.

What is the name of the agreement that ended the Soviet Union?

Answer: Belavezha Accords

We would love to hear from you! To let us know what you liked and disliked about our newsletter, please mail [email protected]. 

If you don’t already get this newsletter in your inbox, sign up here. For past editions of the YourStory Buzz, you can check our Daily Capsule page here.