Free Fire was among the 54 apps that were banned by the Indian government last month. The news was shocking as Garena was preparing for a blockbuster season. Since it provided a good battle royale experience on mobile devices, it was one of the most popular games among fans.Despite the regular version's ban, the MAX version can still be accessed by players.Free Fire topped the 2021 list by monthly Active Users in IndiaAccording to a new report by EY FICCI ME, Free Fire had the most monthly active users (MAUs) in India. In addition, the game ranked among the top ten in terms of player spending in 2021. This shows how popular the title was in the country. Garena also revealed their Esports plan in the country with 2.7 crore prize pool tournaments, which started with the India Championship Spring in February. The World Series 2021 Singapore featured a massive prize pool of USD $2 million. The 2022 World Series is slated to begin in May. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostWhile Free Fire MAX (an enhanced version of the game) is still available in the country, Garena's esports scene is currently suspended due to Free Fire's ban.Esports and Casual Gaming grew 32% y-o-y according to the EY report. The revenue for Esports in India rose 29% from 750 crore INR to 970 crore INR. There was also an increase in players by 100% to 6 lakhs. With 1 crore in winnings, BGIS 2021 was the tournament with the highest prize pool. The total prize money exceeded 20 crores INR in 2021. There was also an exponential increase in viewership, from 6 lakh hours in 2020 to 20 lakh hours in 2021.NEW STATE MOBILE@NEWSTATEMOBILEWe made some key changes to Erangel, including the brand-new spot 'Avanpost'.Log in to NEW STATE MOBILE now to experience the new and improved Erangel!#NEWSTATEMOBILE #ERANGEL20516:30 AM · Mar 20, 202238818We made some key changes to Erangel, including the brand-new spot 'Avanpost'.Log in to NEW STATE MOBILE now to experience the new and improved Erangel!#NEWSTATEMOBILE #ERANGEL2051 https://t.co/yowWMTiclJPUBG: New State, a new battle royale title from Krafton, bagged the second spot in MAUs while Bridge Race by Supersonic was the most downloaded game in India in 2021. Surprisingly, FAU-G: Fearless and United Guards which was seen as a PUBG alternative was the second most downloaded game in the country. In consumer spending, Top War: Battle Game took first place followed by Genshin Impact.The report also estimated that online gaming would grow at a CAGR of 15% to 1,530 crore by 2024 from 1,000 crore in 2021.