Gutshot March 2022

Volume 3 | Issue 3 | Mumbai |

www.gutshotmagazine.com POKER

March 2022 | Pages 44

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CONTENTS

8-9

Is Multi-Gaming The New Black For RMG?

10-12

The Legal and Tax Matrix Of Fantasy Games

14-15

Online Rummy: All Checks In Place?

16-18

Online Poker Series: You Just Can’t Get Enough

20-21

The Dilemma Of Legalising Sports Betting

22-23

Data Management Platforms In Esports: Necessary Or Not?

24-26

Splendid Casinos Of Goa You Cannot Miss

28-29

Building Solid Ground Together

30-31

Any Given Sunday – The Skill In It

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CONTENTS

SPiCE INDIA

34

Welcome to SPiCE India 2022!

36-39

SPiCE India 2022 Key Entities

40-42

Gutshot Magazine at SPiCE India 2022

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5

est reputation, we happily present Gutshot Magazine’s As aa part part ofof our our journey toto develop develop into aworld-class world-classpublicat publica As Board members.

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ADVISORY BOARD

ADVISORY BOARD

the highest highest reputation, reputation, we we happily happily present present Gutshot GutshotMagazine’s Magazine’s the the editorial scope and focus ofthought the magazine and wil Advisory Boardmembers. members.

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pertise will vitalise the editorial scope and focus of the magazine and will be our eyes and ears to the Real Money Gaming industry.

into a world-class publication with present Gutshot Magazine’s Editorial ght leaders in their areas of expertise Amin Rozani MD, Amin Rozani cus ofSpartan the Group magazine and will be our MD, Spartan Group Money Gaming industry.

AminRozani Rozani Amin MD,Spartan SpartanGroup Group MD,

RolandLanders Landers Roland CEO,All AllIndia IndiaGaming Gaming CEO, Federation(AIGF) (AIGF) Federation

Karan Vig

of Production, i Head Mind Sports League n Group

Roland Landers CEO, All India Gaming Federation (AIGF)

Karan Vig Head of Production, Mind Sports League

ming )

Richard Richard Haridasoham Haridasoham Poker Pokerexpert expertand and commentator commentator 0066

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Richard Muskan MuskanSethi Sethi Haridasoham Professional ProfessionalPoker Poker Poker expert and Player Player commentator Responsible ResponsibleGaming Gaming Ambassador Ambassador

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Roland Landers CEO, All India Gaming Federation (AIGF)

Roland Lan CEO, All Ind Federation

KaranVig Vig Karan HeadofofProduction, Production Head Mind Sports League Mind Sports League

Richard Haridasoham

Poker Karan Vigexpert and commentator Head of Production, Mind Sports League

Muskan Se Ramesh Rao Ramesh Rao Professiona Thotapalli Thotapalli Player Casino CasinoPride Pride1 1Poker Poke Room RoomResponsibl Ambassad O CTO B ER

2021

EDITOR'S NOTE

www.gutshotmagazine.com

March 2022

Volume 3

Issue 3

RMG + LIFESTYLE

Editor’s Note Managing Editor Sameer Rattonsey

Editor-In-Chief Peter Abraham

Content

Manthra Koliyer Donna Amo Mrinal Gujare Amarylisa Gonsalves Akash Mishra

Graphic Designer Maheswar Gauda

Sales & Advertising

Raunaq Pinto (raunaq@thegutshot.com)

Marketing Head

Dwayne Fernandes (dwayne@gutshotmagazine.com)

Business Head

Ashvin Rao (ashvin@gutshotmagazine.com)

Volume 3 I Issue 3 I MARCH 2022

Printed and Published by: Peter Abraham for Gutshot Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., S/6-8 Khira Industrial Estate, B.M.Bhargava Road, Santacruz (West), Mumbai-400054 Gutshot Magazine is not responsible for the opinions or views expressed by individuals or writers that may be included in any part of Gutshot Magazine. The views expressed are for encourage - ment and entertainment purposes only.

By being an author on this site all writers transfers copyright ownership of the manuscript to Gutshot Magazine. for publication in print, on line and in downloadable form. Permission is also given to publish all subsequent electronic media, reprints, and any other subsidiary print rights worldwide of this article for Gutshot Magazine.

The author(s) will have the unrestricted right to reuse this material on condition that credits are included for prior publication in Gutshot Magazine, to include the issue and date of publication. Interviews are the personal opinions of the interviewee and are not necessarily the views of Gutshot Magazine or it’s Publishers Gutshot Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. take no responsibility for any of their answers or comments.

All interviews are subject to editing spelling, grammar, and any content that is not useful may be disregarded when posted/published.

Gutshot Magazine reserves the right to change, update this disclaimer and policy at will without any notice.

In the mid to late 90s, the words ‘new media’ started to take off in a big way. Traditional media like print and television started to get overshadowed by the internet and digital platforms that became the new source of information and commerce. Speaking of which, another revolution called e-commerce became the next big thing. First with sites like Flipkart and then international biggies like Amazon paved the way for yet another industry which contributed to economic growth.

And now we’re a part of this digital revolution with the online real money gaming industry gathering momentum in the past decade.

Gaming in general has overshot most forms of entertainment including Hollywood and the music industry put together! So it’s not surprising that India’s gaming industry, real money and otherwise, stands poised to bask in the spotlight.

In such circumstances, events like SPiCE India are a great forum for brands and stakeholders to get together and exchange thoughts about the present and future of the online gaming industry. Gutshot Magazine is proud to align with SPiCE as its media partner so within these pages we will be featuring this event, what it plans to achieve, and some of the key entities and speakers who will be gracing the event.

All this and other real money gaming highlights from some of our past editions. We’re also delighted to be a nominee at the annual SPiCE Awards which is a nice milestone to achieve on our journey ahead. Until next time, stay safe and keep crushing!

PETER ABRAHAM Editor-In-Chief

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ONLINE GAMING

Is Multi-Gaming The New Black For RMG?

By Amarylisa Gonsalves

R

emember all the Ludo King memes that ruled social media timelines when the lockdown started? Everyone was enjoying their favourite childhood board game at their fingertips with peers despite being geographically dispersed. Fast forward to the current time wherein we have a host of online gaming platforms and apps that keep players busy.

One game at a time sounds cliché; installing different apps for different games gets quite tedious apart from the space issues we face when it comes to downloading apps on our devices.

The multi-game universe A multi-gaming platform offers both - widely popular as well as lesser-known games as well. And mind you, the gaming fever has taken over massively, they aren’t restricted to just the general masses but big organizations too! Does Facebook/ Meta ring a bell? The only difference is while the general population looks at consuming these games, organizations are now looking at innovative ways of creating them.

Real money gaming Over time the perception towards real money games has also greatly changed as these are skill-based. But one cannot overlook the fact that the number of real money games aren’t mainstream yet, even though the gaming universe is vast. Hence, to broaden their horizons and enter a bigger market, the RMG brands have gradually started taking the multigaming route.

The venture In the year gone by, we saw Baazi Games, popular for its RMG platforms like PokerBaazi, BalleBaazi, and RummyBaazi (now Card Baazi) 8

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coming up with a new multi-gaming platform named Baazi Mobile Gaming. Another operator in Dangal Games also launched their unified casual gaming app with the same name. Other brands who entered this lucrative

ONLINE GAMING

multi-gaming market are AIO Games, EWar Games, Nostragamus, Gamezy among others.

These developments are proof that multigaming is here to stay and grow over the long term.

The rationale Let’s discuss the possible reasons for adopting the multi-game route. One major factor is that gaming trends are tremendously influenced by the pandemic.

Nationwide lockdowns and curfews, led people towards online games as traditional entertainment was unavailable. The consumption of casual and hyper-casual games contributed majorly to having such stupendous growth figures. The smartphone usage also led the demand for mobile gaming to hit the roof. Venturing into a bigger market is something that every business, no matter how small or big, looks forward to. Companies can capitalize more via a multi-gaming platform.

The online gaming industry’s turnover increased by

Source: Times of India

50%

during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Source: Times of India

2.5

HOURS

4.1

The average gaming time spent by players reached 4.1 hours post the pandemic from the pre-covid average of 2.5 hours.

HOURS

In-store for the brands In India, a player may not be very familiar with poker, but when he/ she downloads a multi-gaming app to play casual games and sees poker as part of the overall offerings within the gaming lobby, they may feel intrigued and perhaps even try the game. Thus the multi-gaming app has helped the brand reach an audience that otherwise would never engage with the brand. Not to forget, the cost of maintaining a single app is always lesser.

Looking at the trends, it won’t be too surprising to see multi-gaming become the new black for RMG. Moving towards multi-gaming will definitely benefit the brands and users which could further accelerate growth for online gaming.

Taken from Gutshot January 2022 edition.

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FA N TA S Y

The Legal and Tax Matrix Of Fantasy Games

By Akash Mishra

O

ver the last few years, the creation of fantasy sports platforms has created a new kind of sports followers who have learned to make money through fantasy platforms by just following their favourite teams and players. How? Read on.

The start Fantasy sports competitions started coming up in India from the early 2000s. However, it took almost a decade for the sector to become widely popular. The availability of affordable smartphones, internet penetration and the growth of different mobile applications played a critical role in driving people and innovations to this sector.

In fantasy sports, players form favourite sports. At present, game platforms India, including Premier League Halaplay, My11Circle, of several The Public Act of 1857 gambling before the Constitution effect. sectors were the central governments to Betting and within the exclusive state legislature.

a fictitious virtual team of their a variety of fantasy sports have emerged in Dream11, Mobile (MPL), MyTeam11, 11Wickets, and a long list others.

Gambling controlled in India country’s came into Distinct assigned to and state form legislations. gaming are jurisdiction of the

Over the last several years, major fantasy sports platforms have gained a lot of popularity. Every day, they conduct various online tournaments across sports, where gamers have to use their talent and knowledge to put together a team they believe will perform well. It is via this team that they are awarded points and, ultimately, cash prizes.

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FA N TA S Y

Legality of online fantasy games in India Skills games are legal in India and are not subject to Indian gambling legislation, mainly the Public Gambling Act of 1867. In regulating the platforms that offer such games, Indian law distinguishes betting on games of chance and betting on games of skill.

Although participation and offering luckdependent games are strictly prohibited, the law takes a more favourable position for skill games.

Uncertainty still looms Fantasy sports uses the results of real-life sports events as a reference to calculate the scores of every player. It’s safe to say that fantasy sports are fully dependent on the outcomes of virtual games, which depend on the game’s actual outcome.

The governing bodies The Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS) was established to regulate and promote best practices in India’s online fantasy sports services and tournaments. The charter assures that the game played by its participants is entirely skill-based and not considered gambling.

By adopting IAMAI guidelines, the FIFS has also developed self-regulation guidelines on advertising online gaming to guarantee that 12

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advertisements are fair, transparent, and not deceptive.

Taxing the winnings fantasy platforms Fantasy sports game prizes are taxed under Section 115BB of the Income Tax Act. Taxes from the platforms are deducted so that players don’t take any deduction from their expenditure.

Gamer safety and security measures Lack of security for gamers and safeguard against illegal activities are also some areas of concern. NITI Aayog has proposed a minimum age requirement for gamers, fairness in games, terms and conditions, disclaimers and responsible advertising. Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has also proposed self-regulation for real money gaming advertisements.

Fantasy sports brands are not very far behind when it comes to revenues and sponsorships. As the fantasy sports sector moves forward on the path of prosperity, a clear and structured set of laws are the need of the hour.

Taken from Gutshot September 2021 edition.

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RUMMY

Online Rummy: All Checks In Place?

By Amarylisa Gonsalves

A

s everything from payments to classrooms move to the digital form, so are our modes of entertainment. Even playing our favourite childhood summer games such as ludo, chess, carrom, and rummy has gone digital. But as the digitisation becomes more widespread, so do the risks and threats of cyber-related concerns.

Online rummy has become very popular over the past few years. Unlike the traditional rummy games, which require a minimum number of players to play the game, online rummy enables a player to grind with other players spread across different geographical locations.

In simpler words, one can play online all by themselves. All you have to do is register on the online rummy site of your choice (as there are so many of them in India) and play.

Privacy Matters Signing up on an online rummy site to play may sound simple, but players may have security concerns during the process. In the process of registering, one must give out private information such as name, contact details, and even financial details in case of real money gaming sites. How safe is the player data, considering the possibilities of cyber-attacks?

Moreover, how are these sites using the player data? According to the 2019 Experian Identity and Fraud Report: Asia-Pacific Edition report, 65% of Indian consumers expect full 14

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RUMMY

transparency from businesses on using their personal information. However, only 30% of companies are moderately transparent with the use of personal information.

The E-Gaming Federation (EGF) which was previously known as The Online Rummy Federation (TORF) develops and self-regulates the e-gaming industry in India, and has laid down specific standards to ensure the safety of players who indulge in online gaming.

As per Software Integrity and Internal Control Standards laid down by EGF, all members are required to use certified software to avoid any unwanted and unauthorized actions intruding into the software. If the software is safe, the vulnerability of the player data and the platform data is automatically reduced.

The operators also need to examine the data and make sure it is well encrypted while stored on their servers.

Why KYC? As per EGF website, the user verification standards state that the “verification is a process that rummy operators use to confirm the identity of the players. The main objective of the player verification is to prevent any misuse of business services by illicit elements.

User verification standards such as KYC help operators in managing any such risks.” By checking and ensuring the authenticity of the players, platforms can be safe from notorious players who tend to use the sites for unlawful activities.

No room for foul play Another concern that arises when playing online games on the internet is the fairness of the game. Even if the software utilizes reasonable means, if the players resort to unfair means, the whole experience of playing online leaves a sour taste in the mouth.

To address this, EGF standards include a fair play policy, which states, “Rummy is considered as a social game to be played with your friends or other players on the internet but colluding with anyone to the disadvantage of unsuspecting opponents should be actively monitored and controlled.

Every game should be played fairly using the individual’s skill. Some of the actions classified as ‘unfair’ are money dumping, cheating, fraud and collusion, amongst others. Hence, to prevent any form of unfair practices, EGF has established stringent guidelines, as well as actions to be taken against violating players.”

All said and done, one cannot simply ignore the fact that no matter how much a platform or a player strives for a safe and secure gaming experience, some unforeseen situations are bound to occur. For this, the operators need to have a reliable and fast customer support system in place.

Taken from Gutshot October 2021 edition.

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POKER

Online Poker Series: You Just Can’t Get Enough

By Donna Amo

W

hen live events are not around, the poker action continues on the virtual felts. This fact could not be more true when it comes to the Indian poker community. While live poker was still making a slow and eventual comeback, players did not miss any action thanks to online poker tournaments. Online poker series became a hit machine as platforms like Spartan Poker, PokerBaazi, Adda52 among others, hosted many sought-after tournament series. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest poker tournaments that have taken place in the past few months.

India Online Poker Championship (IOPC) India Online Poker Championship (IOPC) held its 12th edition in January 2022. The popular series was hosted on Spartan Poker, BLITZPOKER, and PokerHigh. Thousands of players participated in this prestigious event. IOPC is one poker series that has witnessed a brilliant growth trajectory. From a `10 crore guarantee in 2019 (and even more humble beginnings in years before that) to a `31 crore prize pool in Jan-Feb 2022, the offering just turned bombastic.

Prize Pool

`30 crore GTD

Total No of Entries

1,40,218

Main Event Winner

Amit Gehani (`56.4 Lakh)

Leaderboard Topper

Bhanu Prakash (`30 Lakh)

Final Table Series India Poker Championship’s (IPC) Final Table Series (FTS) was first launched at the end of 2020. It started to fill the void left by the live poker action back in Goa. The first edition of FTS also introduced live streaming of online poker events. The success of the first FTS resulted in three more editions, with the latest one concluding in March 2022. The FTS prize pools climbed from `8 crore in November 2020 to `13 crore in March 2022.

Prize Pool

`15.28 crore GTD

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Total No of Entries

34,959

2022

Main Event Winner

Arsh Grover (`40.23 Lakh)

Leaderboard Topper

Nitin Rawat (`10 Lakh)

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World Poker Tour Online India The end of 2021 saw the World Poker Tour (WPT) Online India being hosted on Adda52. The poker series managed to attract a massive number of players and featured 233 mega and mini-events along with 21 daily micro-events.

Prize Pool

Total No of Entries

`25 crore GTD

1,05,818

Main Event Winner

Leaderboard Topper

Kushal Sogani (`47.45 Lakh)

Raghav Siddalinga (`8 Lakh)

Asian Poker Tour India Online 2022 The Asian Poker Tour (APT) announced the third edition of its exclusive online series in India. APT Indian Online 2022 ran from 30th January to 6th February on PokerBaazi.

Prize Pool

Total No of Entries

`7.74 crore GTD

Main Event Winner

Amar Mehta (`17.5 Lakh)

23,250

National Poker Series PokerBaazi also hosted the first edition of the National Poker Series (NPS) in June 2021. NPS was branded as the ‘Olympics of Indian Poker’ as it awarded the top three performing players with a gold, silver, and bronze medal. The second edition of NPS offers `18.5 crore prize pool and runs from 6th - 20th March 2022.

Prize Pool

`15 crore GTD

Total No of Players

83,793

Gold Medalist

Mohammad Azhar

Be it live or online, the Indian poker industry is a thriving space for impeccable talent to showcase their skills and strategies. A word to the wise—The poker circuit will continue to expand and grow unabashedly and we recommend you join the party!

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Silver Medalist

Ankit Wadhawan

Taken from Gutshot January 2021 edition.

Bronze Medalist

Kritagya Sharma

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Th i s g a m e h a s a n e l e m e n t o f fi n a n c i a l r i s k a n d m ay b e a d d i c t i v e. P l e a s e p l ay r e s p o n s i b l y a n d at y o u r o w n r i s k .

SPORTS BETTING

The Dilemma Of Legalising Sports Betting

By Dwayne Fernandes

I

t’s not just professional gamblers who indulge in sports betting. Many from the general population indulge in sports betting. Everyone wants to know the ‘bhav’ i.e. the odds, and place a punt on a live sports fixture. “India playing Australia? Sure, let’s have a `500 bet on who wins tonight!” Some even wager for recreational purposes. Sitting at home and watching a game could get boring, so people add monetary bets to make it more interesting.

However, we’ve to be a bit careful while doing it in India! Everyone’s doing it, but remember, it’s not allowed by law. Sports betting is rampant in India and we likely have the biggest market for it in the world. However, it is a black market. Bettors will be penalized and possibly even jailed if they’re found engaging in such activities. So, why not legalize sports betting in India?

People fighting against the legalization of sports betting say it shouldn’t be allowed because it’s a social evil. To this, a clear positive would be that alcohol and cigarettes are also classified under the same category of so-called social evils, yet these two commodities are legal. Why not sports betting then?!

Heaps of revenues As per the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), it’s estimated that around `4 Lakh crore is exchanged each year in sports betting. Need I say any more?

Look at the Goa offshore casinos for example.

They pay `45-50 crore only in license fees each year, bringing in loads of revenue for the state government. FICCI says that the government is missing out on thousands of crores a year in tax revenue from sports betting, and that should be reason enough to want to legalize the activity.

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A report by FICCI indicates that if a 20% tax on sports betting and gaming was imposed, Rs.19,000 Cr can be earned annually in India. This too, was estimated back in 2016!

Vague online laws The Public Gaming Act of 1867 prohibits gambling in India but in 1950, the Constitution

SPORTS BETTING

gave the right to every state to decide. Today, casino gambling is permitted in Goa, Sikkim and Daman. However, betting is taking place all across India, either through international betting websites or through tech-enabled channels or through the vast network of bookies we have in the country.

Already rampant phenomenon Firstly, the revenue from all these bets go to the offshore companies and secondly, if Indians are scammed by non-trustworthy websites, there’s no protection for those players. This could be a market worth `40,000 crore in a few years and legalization seems like the right step. Websites like 1xBet, BetWay, BetWinner, LeoVegas, RoyalPanda, and 10Cric are some of the few brands that have already established themselves in India. One law passed in favour of sports betting and all of these companies could start contributing to the government coffers, MASSIVELY. Employment opportunities Walk on the streets in the UK and you’ll be able to enter physical establishments like Ladbrokes, William Hill, Betfred, etc., and

place bets in 9,000+ shops across the country.

If ‘Make-in-India’ betting companies can be set up legally, employment opportunities will rapidly rise.

As per reports, the gaming industry created around 7,000 direct jobs and around 3,000 more indirect/ancillary jobs in Goa and Sikkim.

Now we’re not stupid and we know there are reasons for the government not wanting to regulate sports betting. However, there are outlines of plans that can be put into place to nullify the threats and eventually, the pros do seem to outweigh the cons.

Taken from Gutshot July 2020 edition.

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ESPORTS

Data Management Platforms In Esports: Necessary Or Not?

By Amarylisa Gonsalves

A

s the use of technology advances, a bigger requirement of data comes into the picture. Similarly, as businesses scale greater heights, the amount of data accumulated by them also shoots up. By data we mean the information, statistics, and/or any other details about the various stakeholders and the components involved. This data is crucial and cannot be neglected since it helps firms keep track, draw analysis, market, maintain effective relations, and the list goes on. The benefits of having data are several, and the more data you have at hand, the higher the benefits will be.

What’s DMP? One thing that comes to mind is how do you store vast amounts of data?

Well, technology has solved that for us via innumerable storage options.

But is having so much data enough?

Probably not! Storing the data will do no good if the information is not managed and organized well. But, can companies solely store, process, manage and organize such massive data along with focusing on their core businesses? Well, that’s where Data Management Platforms (DMP) comes into the picture.

DMP is a software platform that can effectively gather as well as manage data. It can also analyze the data to help businesses make appropriate and effective use of it for a seamless decision-making process. It’s known to the world that esports is running full steam in India. Naturally, the industry generates tons of data every single day. So how about integrating DMP into esports?

Why DMP in esports?

DMP can significantly help manage and process the data into functional 22

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ESPORTS

bits that can further promote and establish the industry. Sagar Nair, Co-Founder of Qlan, an Indian social networking site for gamers, says, “The esports industry has witnessed a major spike in popularity. There are millions of people competing in and watching games and tournaments daily. The games, players and viewers are generating massive amounts of data collectively. If this data is strategically collated by employing DMP, it can be used for different purposes, both for the sport and the business.”

When asked if DMP integration in esports is the need of the hour, Nair says, “Yes! We can pull

out data points like match results, player stats, viewership, and more in a single tournament.

DMP will enable the merging of all these different data sources into a single layer.

Additionally, it will also allow breaking down large data and make it more consumable, eventually making it possible to gather meaningful insights of both game and marketrelated data.”

A greater scope But it’s not only the sports and businesses that will benefit, the players will also greatly benefit from this consolidation. Keeping a tab on one’s progress, competitors, the industry growth, and the current standings are just some things even players can track.

Apart from these, match results, player and squad performance, in-game events, viewership, brand integrations are some areas Nair believes will enhance if DMP is integrated into esports.

Looking at the endless benefits and potential of DMP, it is safe to say that it will open many doors in esports. It won’t be long until we have DMP make its way into the esports arena as well as other RMG industries in India and the rest of the world.

Taken from Gutshot October 2021 edition.

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CASINO

Splendid Casinos Of Goa You Cannot Miss

By Manthra Koliyer

G

oa gives you the taste of an elite and authentic gaming by the way of exploring the luxurious offshore casinos. We list down some of the best for you below.

Big Daddy Casino

Walk into this luxury offshore vessel with artistic chandeliers, mirrored walls, diamondcollared statues and experience absolute grandeur. Stars like Dan Bilzerian, Sanjay Dutt, Anita Hassanandani, Rannvijay Singha, and Badshah have sizzled on Big Daddy’s floors.

The casino offers custom packages that provide a wholesome deal, including chips, promotional vouchers, drinks, live entertainment, buffet, and more. Poker buffs, take a shot at the cash games and tournaments happening at Spartan Poker’s poker room in the Big Daddy Casino.

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Deltin Royale

Want to see a paradise floating? Deltin Royale is where you should be! Recreating Las Vegas-like vibes, Deltin is the perfect entertainment destination and offers a splendid assortment of single malts, multi-cuisine buffets, and more.

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Premium Package:

Deltin Royale

Excitement and gaming take on a new meaning at the 30,000 sq. ft. Casino Pride. One of Goa’s most thriving locations is spread over three floors and offers a wide range of live poker games, slots, and more. Their poker room even offers cash games for a buy-in of `5,000.

The casino is already a hot favourite among celebrities like Sunil Grover, Priya Patidar, and Lizaa Malik.

`2,000

Deluxe Package: `3,000

Luxury Package:

`5,000

Location: River Mandovi, Captain Of Ports Jetty, Panaji, Goa Packages: Start from `1,000 onwards

Majestic Pride Casino

Open 24/7, Majestic Pride offers a delightful array of entertainment activities such as acrobatics, exotic dances and more. American Roulette and Tai Sai are some of the unique games you can try your hand.

Taken from Gutshot Nov-Dec 2021 edition.

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Building Solid Ground Together

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By Amarylisa Gonsalves

hat is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word love? A spouse, a soulmate, or family? Sure, they do define love for some of us, but is love limited to just them? Well, it doesn’t always have to be!

Caring for someone you don’t even know personally can also be an act of love. And our very own poker brands have been illustrating this over the years by spreading love beyond the virtual felts. You wonder how? By caring for the community, and performing little acts of kindness out of their love for the people. Let’s have a look at how poker brands have been doing this.

COVID-19 Relief - PokerBaazi When the country faced strict lockdowns, the daily wage workers were the ones most affected by it.

Baazi Games, considering their plight, joined hands with Delhi Youth Welfare Association and ensured everyone got their daily meals and essential supplies.

Around `10.27 Lakh was raised by the brand for this cause.

Hemkunt Foundation and ACT Grants - Adda52 Adda52 joined hands with Hemkunt Foundation, which provides humanitarian aid to marginalized citizens, and ACT Grants, which provides oxygen supply, medical workforce, and hospital beds across the country. Through this association, the online poker brand donated the tournament revenue during a specific duration and added an amount equivalent to that revenue for this cause.

MukkaMaar - Spartan Poker Spartan Poker’s association with MukkaMaar foundation goes a long way. The NGO focuses on teaching self-defense and the overall development of girls. Spartan Poker till date hosts a special MukkaMaar tournament with a guarantee of `8 Lakh every Saturday at 8 PM. The rake generated from this tournament is donated to the NGO founded by the social activist, dancer and actress Ishita Sharma.

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Play For A Cause - PokerStars India PokerStars India hosted the ‘Play For A Cause’ tournament series in October 2020, which supported seven non-profit organizations namely Goonj, Seva Kitchen, Bridge of Sports, Manjhi Development Foundation, Pad Squad, Involve Education, and United Way of Chennai. The funds raised through this initiative were donated to hospital patients and relatives for meals, sanitary pads for underprivileged women, and athletics programs for underprivileged communities.

Gamers for India - MPL Esports Brands like MPL Esports weren’t far behind. The brand organized a fundraiser to support the COVID-19 relief cause. Some of the most revered names in the Indian gaming community came together on 15th May 2021 for this event. The funds collected were donated to GiveIndia, a non-profit organization, to provide oxygen supply and other life-saving equipment. MPL Sports Foundation (MPLSF) also contributed `1 crore for GiveIndia’s COVID Response Fund.

ACT Grants And GiveIndia - Dream11 Dream11’s Dream Sports Foundation (DSF) donated a sum of `7.5 crore each to the ACT Grants and GiveIndia for the COVID-19 relief work. Around 50% of this fund was used to provide immediate medical support such as equipment, infrastructure, oxygen needs, and testing. The rest of the fund was dedicated to boosting preventive measures such as vaccination drives, camps, and training.

With all the above efforts, online gaming brands were able to bring about a solid change and bring joy during troubled times.

Taken from Gutshot February 2022 edition.

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Any Given Sunday – The Skill In It

By Ram Kakkar

n 1968, rummy was held by the Indian judiciary to be a game of skill, and not gambling. In 1997, it was the turn of wagering on horse-racing, and in 2017 it was fantasy league games, which were also found to be games of skill.

Apna time aayega, screams the poker aficionado in me.

But is poker a game of skill? One cannot answer that question without understanding the test for a game of skill. Strangely, the same game with the same rules may be determined as a game of skill in one country, but may be determined as a game of chance in another, on account of the laws that have come to be enacted in the respective countries that govern the subject. And so we must understand what the test for a game of skill under the Indian laws is.

Find me a game of pure skill, and I’ll find you a hand that beats a royal flush in poker. There is no such game as a game of pure skill, something which Indian courts have also acknowledged.

Luck plays a role in varying degrees in different sports at different times. Remember Maradona’s Hand of God? Or South Africa’s Cricket World Cup exit(s)?

Success in the game must depend principally upon the superior knowledge, training, attention, experience, and adroitness of the player, as held by the Supreme Court of India.

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So what would make poker a game where a player’s chances of succeeding are primarily determined by his knowledge and ability, and not by what cards are dealt or opened next?

A poker player once remarked to me that he makes more decisions on a Sunday than someone who doesn’t play the game makes in a year. In every hand, as a player he must decide: (a) do I want to enter the pot; (b) if yes, should I call or raise; (c) if raising, how much should the raise be. He makes these decisions potentially four times every hand (pre-flop, post flop, post turn and post river). In doing so, he considers a large number of factors including position of players, stack sizes, player tendencies, and ranges, pot odds etc. Factors which are based sometimes on player insights, sometimes on math and probabilities, and sometimes on hand histories – and almost never are or should be arbitrary and illogical.

The 2,000 - 5,000 odd decisions that a poker player takes any given Sunday are informed and educated decisions. If the decision is correct, is she/he guaranteed success in a particular hand? No, and that part of poker makes it such a beautiful game.

Significantly, if a game is said to be a game of skill, business ventures can seek protection of the

constitutional right to carry on occupation, trade or business founded on such game.

The Gujarat High Court has in late 2017 pronounced a detailed judgment and after considering various authorities, did not find poker to be a game of skill. Consequently, the provisions of the Gambling Act, 1867 in India stand applicable to the game.

Poker has grown manifold in our country over the last 10 years or so. The future of poker however in India, live or online, hinges to a considerable extent on whether the higher judiciary eventually upholds in the 2017 Gujarat High Court verdict, or if it overturns it and accepts poker to be a game of skill.

The grinders amongst us can only hope that poker as a game itself does not get a bad beat in India, and evolves into being recognized by courts and the people at large as a mind-sport with its many wonderful nuances.

Taken from Gutshot June 2019 edition.

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Welcome to SPiCE India 2022!

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f you're reading this, you are probably already at the venue of the third edition of SPiCE India (Strategic Platform for iGaming Conference and Exhibition), being hosted at the Goa Marriott Resort & Spa between 23rd - 25th March 2022. This follows a couple of very successful annual editions prior to this, back after a gap since COVID-19 didn't allow a physical meeting to take place last year.

You can also expect to hear some exciting new launches and updates from some brands, and definitely don't forget about the glamour aspect of SPiCE India 2022.

It's not going to be all talks, debates and panel discussions, but we're also going to see a glamorous pre and post event party, a specially curated poker tournament for the attendees, and the annual SPiCE India Awards too!

What is SPiCE India 2022?

SPiCE India 2022 Agenda

We've given you the full form above but to let you know in a nutshell, this is the biggest gaming conference in India, meant to be a social gathering of all the stakeholders that are jointly propelling our gaming industry forward. Look around you and you'll find some of the key entities in Indian gaming, all at this mega event with one sole purpose—help further grow our gaming industry!

With this space still being in its nascent stage in India, there is need for hand holding, need for legislation, regulatory framework, government backing, and much more.

Here's where SPiCE plays a massive role, helping the top entities and companies achieve their full potential in this rapidly changing gaming landscape in India.

With 40+ speakers and 300+ attendees at the event, expect to meet a whole lot of new people over these three days in Goa. 34

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Day 1 - Affiliate Day The first day will be all about getting to know each other along with a few panel discussions and presentations.

The opening and closing remarks will be made by Chairperson Christina ThakorRankin and you can expect some fun in the evening with the SP"iCE" Breaker PreEvent Party!

Day 2 Expect to know how online gaming is going to be taken into a $5 billion industry in India and what the next few steps are in fantasy sports. Yudi Soetjiptadi, Eventus International MD, will deliver the Keynote Address, and the day will end with the 'SPiCE It Up' poker tournament with a buy-in of $150!

Day 3 All good things come to an end and so does this conference, but not without one last hurrah. After the key topics on the day's agenda are covered, there's a VIP Dinner followed by the SPiCE Awards and the SPiCE after party!

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DAY

AGENDA

10:00 AM Registration and morning coffee 10:30 AM Opening note from Christina Thakor-Rankin 10:45 PM

Panel Discussion - Online Gaming Content In India

11:30 PM

Networking Tea Break

12:00 AM Payment related issues for affiliates and customers 12:45 PM

Presentation - Raj Kalakota, SportsIT

1:15 PM

Networking Lunch Break

2:15 PM

Panel - Exploring best deals for affiliates

3:00 PM

Networking break and one-on-one partnership opportunities for operators

4:00 PM

Closing remarks from Christina Thakor-Rankin

6:00 PM

SP’iCE’ Breaker Pre-Event Party

DAY

AGENDA

10:00 AM Registration and morning coffee 10:30 AM Welcome speech by Yudi Soetjiptadi 10:40 PM Opening remarks from Christina Thakor-Rankin 11:00 PM Keynote address - Online gaming in India: Redefining the entertainment industry? Vinit Godara, MyTeam11 11:30 AM Networking tea break 12 Noon Panel - Taking online gaming in India to a $5 billion industry and more 12:45 PM Presentation - Devon Dalbock, GLI Africa Presentation - Piyush 1:05 PM Choudhary, Sportradar Networking lunch break 1:25 PM Presentation - Lohith Chit2:30 PM tajallu, Endorphina Positive judicial decisions 2:50 PM for online gaming: Roadblocks ahead or moving towards conclusive clarity?

Presentation - Dmitry Beli3:35 PM anin, PM Affiliates Panel - What’s next for 4:00 PM fantasy sports in India?

Closing remarks by Christi4:45 PM na Thakor-Rankin 5 PM - Networking tea break 6:00 PM $150 Buy-in SPiCE it up poker tournament

DAY

AGENDA

10:00 AM Registration and morning coffee 10:30 AM Opening remarks from Christina Thakor-Rankin 10:45 PM

Panel - What to expect when legalized sports betting comes to India?

11:30 PM

Tea break

12 Noon

Panel - Innovations in online poker and rummy in India

3:00 PM

Presentation - Hanish S, HSKA and Associates

3:30 PM

Panel - Self-regulation and responsible gaming and certification for online skill gaming companies

4:15 PM

Lottery industry in India

5:00 PM

Closing Christina Thakor-Rankin

5:15 PM

Networking tea break

6:30 PM

VIP Dinner

8:30 PM

SPiCE Awards and After Party

SPiCE Awards Nomination Categories Best B2B Digital Platform Best Platform Provider Skill Gaming Operator of the Year Developer of the Year Fantasy Gaming Operator of the Year Poker Operator of the Year Affiliate Platform of the Year Emerging Startup of the Year Legal Advisor of the Year Technology Provider of the Year

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SPiCE India 2022 - Key Entities

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Jay Sayta, Technology & Gaming Lawyer

Karnataka HC squashed the ban on online games which further clarified the legal position of online gaming and reiterated that it cannot be banned.

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Jaydeep Chakravartty, iGaming Consultant

Key learnings from international markets where lottery is freely available, and study on trends and growth in the Indian lottery industry are key points for the panel.

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Sharmilee Daru, Founder, 4WD Gaming

Events like Spice India bring brands and marketers together under one roof. This brings in a lot of opportunities for conversations and collaborations, leading to the growth of the industry.

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Keval Ganatra, Owner, Casino Golden

Most states have not realized the economic potential of the gaming industry. Like Goa, Sikkim and Meghalaya, we hope that state governments start looking at progressive legislation to regulate and not ban online gaming and casinos.

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Roland Landers, CEO, All India Gaming Federation When stakeholders, regulators, and lawmakers look at the industry they should get confidence from the self-regulatory process that is being followed, especially now that the industry is maturing.

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Sameer Barde, CEO, E-Gaming Federation

Gaming in India is mobile-first and is expected to cross USD 5 billion by 2025. The smartphone penetration and 5G is further expected to boost the industry, with an estimated 420 million people playing online games.

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Satya Mahapatra, Founder, ROI Internet Marketing

Branding has been a key growth driver of the top rummy brands in India. Position your brand with the right values and features via targeted localized video campaigns and influencers marketing.

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Kapil Rathee, President, Junglee Games

For games that involve financial investment, we have to ensure that our customers have the safest environment to make online transactions. The platform had to have anti-fraud capabilities and solid encryption.

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Dmitry Starostenkov, CEO, EvenBet Gaming

The predominance of mobile devices, the strong preference for multi-game formats in favour of classic casinos or sports betting websites, and the growing importance of engagement mechanics in RMG are some trends that could shape the online gaming industry.

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We usually are the title sponsors for all the gaming shows in India which are supporting our industry. You can Karan Vig take GaTo by IAMAI or SPiCE by Head of Production, Eventus – we are committed to help Mind Sports League and support everyone to see India on a regulated stage.

Roland Landers CEO, AllLanders India Gaming Roland CEO, All India(AIGF) Gaming Federation Federation (AIGF)

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Gutshot Magazine - Media Partner at SPiCE India 2022

I

n our rich history that has spanned over a decade now, Gutshot Magazine has always tied up with events and tournaments that have helped push the awareness of skill gaming in the country. While poker has been our core focus over the years, Gutshot is now India's leading real money gaming magazine that covers news, updates, previews, highlights, and much more over the poker, rummy, esports, and fantasy sports verticals.

As a leading publisher in real money gaming, it was an easy decision to tie up as official media partners of SPiCE India 2022. Listed alongside numerous other partners and sponsors of this very prestigious event, it was a no brainer that we mark our presence at this gaming conference.

In the build up to the SPiCE India 2022 event, Gutshot has been providing all news and updates on the conference on our website www.gutshotmagazine.com. Giving the event some internet and social media coverage is the least we could do, while we'll ask you to stay tuned to the website for many more RMG updates and stories in the months to come. Gutshot will also be having exclusive chats and interviews with some of the esteemed speakers and panellists from the SPiCE 2022 event. So, stay tuned for all updates on the same!

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Gutshot - Best Affiliate Platform of The Year?!

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e all know that the affiliate marketing space is booming, especially in the gaming segment. Particularly since the dawn of COVID-19 and worldwide lockdown, millions of new players have entered the mobile/online gaming segment, some for fun and entertainment, while others have searched for a new means of making a livelihood or a second income.

We at Gutshot have facilitated these millions of players to join the best gaming platforms, providing them the best in exclusive deals, offers, discounts, and promotions. And while most affiliate platforms tend to focus on one particular gaming vertical, Gutshot has successfully launched and operated online poker, rummy, and fantasy sports affiliates.

Thousands of new players are being added via the Gutshot affiliate program every month!

"Already having been in the online poker space for a decade, Gutshot is now the leading real money gaming magazine in India. You can find the best deals and promotions in poker, rummy, and fantasy sports in India. We at Gutshot don't just look at bringing existing players to gaming portals but also growing the industry by attracting and welcoming new players to expand the existing player pool in India. We're proud to be associated with SPiCE India 2022 and also be nominated in the category for the best affiliate program in India," says Ashvin Rao, Assistant Vice President, Gutshot Entertainment.

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Poker Affiliates

Visit our poker website

Rummy Affiliates

Visit our rummy website

Fantasy Sports Affiliates

Visit our fantasy website

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