PokerStars will compete with leagues promoted by businessman Raj Kundra, Dabur’s Amit Burman and Adda52, one of the biggest online poker entities in the Indian market.
BENGALURU: "Pokerstars, the world’s largest online poker brand owned by the $5-billion The Stars Group, has licensed its brand and platform for the India region exclusively to Sachiko gaming, which plans to invest Rs.20 to 30 crore over the next two years to build brand awareness and to expand the category in India, according to Ankur Dewani, CEO of Sachiko Gaming.
“There are about 4-5 million poker players in India at the moment and the market has great potential to grow,” said Ankur Dewani, CEO of Sachiko Gaming, the company operating PokerStars in India.
The company will be the largest investor for poker in India, Dewani said, without specifying any figures beyond the investment planned over the next two years.
PokerStars will compete with leagues promoted by businessman Raj Kundra, Dabur’s Amit Burman and Adda52, one of the biggest online poker entities in the Indian market. According to Dewani, the age group of poker players in India is predominantly 18 to 30 years, with a fair number of senior citizens in the age group over 60.
In the coming months, the company plans to introduce Sunday poker tournaments for India-specific players, where the prize for each tournament would go up to Rs 1 crore, among other such initiatives. The company plans to invest in marketing and spreading awareness of the game, focusing on launching an online poker school on a separate website that is free and will feature videos and tutorials of players.
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While the company said the regulatory framework for poker in India continues to be an issue, player protection and gaming responsibly will be key focus areas.
Although poker is gaining in popularity in India, its legality differs across states, with only Karnataka, Nagaland and West Bengal classifying it as a game of skill.
“The online poker market in India is unlikely to be bigger than ?250 crore at the moment. In the next three to four years, by 2021 or 2022, we should cross the Rs 1,000 crore mark,” said Dewani. Analysts estimate that in the long run, PokerStars could overtake Indian competitors. However, the company will need to create an offline presence as well.
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