The online gaming sector is seeing exponential growth in India. Recent reports revealed that around 40% of all internet users in the country play online games with real money. Moreover, the same article found that 80% of Indian adults engage in games with real money at least once a year. So, it’s not surprising that the online gaming industry, particularly poker, has seen massive growth in India over the past few years.
Here’s a quick rundown of the evolution of online poker in India and the factors contributing to its popularity.
Evolution of Online Poker in India
Poker has a long history in India, and has been a popular pastime since the beginning of the 20th century, although it didn’t become mainstream until the 90s. Online poker became popular in India after the introduction of smart devices and dedicated apps that made online poker much more accessible. This is because Indian casinos and online platforms aren’t legally allowed to offer online poker, but outside gaming companies are permitted. The increased level of accessibility helped poker attract a more extensive user base online. Today, technological advancements in gaming have enabled online poker operators to offer newer features and better player gaming experiences, such as 2D gaming formats, live dealer interactions, and real money-making games. Because of this, developers could retain existing players and expand their player base.
In an article by Nilay Surya, they shared that poker in India is just entering its golden era, and more players will become interested in the game in the future. This is evident in the National Poker Series, which attracted over 83,000 entries in the first edition of their tournament back in 2021. The organizers expect that this year, more poker enthusiasts will be participating in the event. Although the industry will be competitive in the coming years, it will still be an exciting time for developers and players as developers continue to innovate and improve online poker in India.
Factors Accelerating Online Poker’s Growth in India
One factor contributing to the growth of online poker in India is the ability of players to use actual cash in games. With this, the game is no longer just a source of entertainment but also allows players to potentially earn a lot of money. When playing poker with real money, players deposit money into their accounts, and they can spend it by either playing real-money cash games or joining poker tournaments. This makes the game even more appealing to Indian players looking for competitive online gaming.
Finally, the increasing number of players in the country is inviting investors to exploit this trend by funding online gaming start-ups. As a result, funding for online games grew by 383% in 2021 from $360 million (INR 29.69 billion) in 2020. This development indicates that online gaming in India is not going away soon. Instead, it will dominate local markets, allowing players and developers to explore the potential of online gaming, from HTML5 games and arcade games to online poker.
