Online Poker Interest on the Rise in India

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Friday, March 17th, 2017 | Written by Charles Washington

Many people are lamenting the end of online poker, pointing to lackluster gross gaming revenues in many countries as a sign that the game is fading from popularity. But that’s not the case everywhere. Interest in online poker is growing in India, and many believe that the Indian market of around 1.3 billion people could be perfect for those operators willing to take a gamble.

Gambling Legal in Just 3 States

Currently, gambling is only legal in three out of the 29 states that make up India, with poker mostly considered a game of luck rather than skill, and therefore banned. In states where residents are free to gamble, however, traditional forms of gambling have typically dominated, as Indians on the whole are not familiar with poker and tend to focus on games like rummy and chess, instead.

Smartphone Apps Help Drive Popularity

The world of smartphones is changing that, though, as more and more Indians are purchasing mobile devices and discovering online poker apps. The most popular of these is offered by Adda52.com, the largest online poker site in India. Over the last year, Adda52.com has become more aggressive with its marketing to Indians, and its efforts have started to stir more interest in poker. The site has also now partnered with the World Poker Tour, and will be carrying out more promotions at events in 2017 to help increase its visibility further.

Many of the people using the Adda52.com and other online poker apps are millennials who around the world have shown little interest in brick and mortar casinos. The average Indian spends a good portion of their day commuting to and from work, with young people looking for something to do while riding public transportation subsequently pulling out their smartphones and playing games. In fact, online poker has become a pastime like Candy Crush or Farmville in India.

Innovative New Games

In order to capitalize on the interest of online mobile gaming, app developers are finding new ways to present poker to players, with Octro providing an example. Its game called Teen Patti, for instance, combines elements of classic Indian games with that of poker, thus creating a format that is familiar to players. The app first launched back in 2013, and now has 40 million registered users, with an estimated 3.5 million people playing it every day. Unlike the average online poker site, though, Teen Patti allows players to play for free, while users only pay for chips. The app also makes money from advertisements.

Training Sites Mushrooming

A growing interest in poker has led to the launch of poker information and training sites that cater specifically to Indians. Poker High is an example, and the site already has 10,000 users who log on regularly to learn more about poker. Later this year, the site will be offering a full-blown poker training school, providing online tutorials and lessons for Indians who want to master the game.

India’s Poker Sports Leagues

Perhaps drawing inspiration from Alexandre Dreyfus’ Global Poker League (GPL), India entrepreneur Amit Burman has now set up his own Poker Sports League (PSL). Currently, there are 12 teams involved in the competition, with a $500,000 prize pool up for grabs. Elaborating further on his creation, Burman explained that India is a country in which children grow up playing cards with their parents, and that “it’s high time that this skill game gets a professional touch.”

In the meantime, Jatin Banga has founded another competition involving 8 Teams which he called the Online Poker League, with the list including Bombay Badshahs, Bangalore Billionaires, Hyderabad Highrollers, Delhi Dons, Goa Gamechangers, Kolkata Kings, Chennai Cartels, and Manipal Money Makers. As Banga subsequently explained:

“We are excited to announce the Indian Online Poker League. We intend to sportify the game of poker and bring it to the masses. We have been working on this for a while now and the concept has materialized into something beyond what we had imagined. The never seen before structures and massive prize pool will keep the adrenaline rush going for the players along with a chance to make some serious money!”

Lawmakers Taking Notice

Indian state governments are noticing the online poker trend, and lawmakers across the country are now actively considering a push for legalizing online poker. As legislators in other countries have realized, online poker can provide much-needed revenues for states and countries that are willing to legalize and regulate the game. Reportedly, PokerStars has been monitoring the situation and is poised to enter the market as soon as it opens.