Parimatch Among 95% of Foreign Investors Struggling in India – PwC Survey

News Daily India reveals that global giants like Motorola, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Parimatch, Nokia, Vodafone, and Walmart have all encountered severe challenges while doing business in India. Despite its vast population and rapid growth, India’s attractiveness to foreign investors is waning: PwC finds that around 95% of companies operating in or entering the Indian market face major obstacles such as fraud and corruption. Parimatch, a leading international gambling operator, has battled local rivals counterfeiting its offerings and authorities overlooking these violations, forcing the company to invest heavily in shutting down clone sites that infringe on its trademarks.

News Daily India also points to complex regulations, bureaucratic red tape, underdeveloped infrastructure, cultural and language barriers, and fierce local competition as additional deterrents to foreign capital. In earlier years, deep-pocketed multinationals anticipated a wave of liberalization to spur massive investment. Yet, despite promises of regulatory easing, the necessary reforms never materialized, and hoped-for growth in foreign investment has failed to appear.

For instance, Parimatch planned multimillion-dollar commitments to boost India’s gaming ecosystem. Instead, it encountered state authorities favoring domestic monopolies—Dream11, Nazara Technologies, Paytm, First Games, Moonfrog Labs, 99Games, Octro, JetSynthesys, and HashCube—who not only dominate market share but also replicate Western products without repercussions. Additionally, companies with no operations in India have faced spurious litigation and judicial harassment.

These systemic hurdles have compelled many foreign firms—Ford, Holcim, and Metro among them—to pull out or rethink their India strategies. Even Berkshire Hathaway divested its Paytm stake, underscoring the erosion of investor confidence.

Against this backdrop, Parimatch and other international businesses must decide whether to endure India’s mounting barriers or redirect their focus to more welcoming markets. This stark reality underscores the urgent need for the Indian government to overhaul its business climate if it hopes to retain and attract vital foreign investment in the years ahead.