Volume 2 | Issue 10 | Mumbai |
www.gutshotmagazine.com
October 2021 | Pages 44
ONLY SURVEILLANCE WILL SAVE YOUR TRANSACTION PLANE FROM CRASHING
MUMBAI MARSHALS: RELIVING THE VICTORY AT ESPL 2021
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING IN CASINOS: THE SAFETY NET
GUTSHOT PLAYER OF THE MONTH: AMAN BHADU
STACKS DON’T LIE
IN CONVERSATION WITH FTS 3.0 WINNER ANKIT WADHAWAN
https://bit.ly/GSNat8Oct
https://bit.ly/GS100Spartan
CONTENT
ESPORTS
5
Editor’s Note
8
Bulletin of the month
33-34 Is The Integration Of DMP In Esports Essential?
POKER
35-38 Mumbai Marshals: Reliving the victory at
10-12
ESPL 2021
FANTASY SPORTS
Casino Security: A Fort Knox In The Making?
22-25 Anti-Money Laundering in Casinos: A
Safety Net
26-27 Only Surveillance Will Save Your Transac
39-40 Tailgating The Dangers Of Cybersecurity
tion Plane From Crashing
28-30 Gutshot Player of the Month - Aman Bhadu
RUMMY 41-42
GAMING 31-32
Sumo Digital: Expanding New Horizons
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COVER STORY:
Stacks Don’t Lie
In conversation with FTS 3.0 Winner Ankit Wadhawan When the third edition of the Final Table Series hit the online felts in September, Ankit Wadhawan was excited to be a part of it, just like any other poker player. However, winning was indeed on the cards for this up-and-coming poker pro. With two stacks in the bag, ‘Shippament’ as he is virtually known on Spartan Poker, stormed Day 2 of the FTS 3.0 Main Event with incredible focus and grabbed that prestigious diamond-studded medallion medallion like a true warrior. Check out our full story on his road to victory.
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Online Rummy: A Security Check
Volume 2 | Issue 10 | Mumbai |
www.gutshotmagazine.com
EDIT October 2021 | Pages 44
ONLY SURVEILLANCE WILL SAVE YOUR TRANSACTION PLANE FROM CRASHING
MUMBAI MARSHALS: RELIVING THE VICTORY AT ESPL 2021
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING IN CASINOS: THE SAFETY NET
GUTSHOT PLAYER OF THE MONTH: AMAN BHADU
EDITOR’S NOTE
STACKS DON’T LIE
IN CONVERSATION WITH FTS 3.0 WINNER ANKIT WADHAWAN
www.gutshotmagazine.com
October 2021 Volume 2 Issue 10
RMG + LIFESTYLE
MANAGING EDITOR Sameer Rattonsey EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Peter Abraham CONTENT Manthra Koliyer Donna Amo Mrinal Gujare Amarylisa Gonsalves Akash Mishra Manaswini Vaghani CONTENT STRATEGY Athira Laji GRAPHIC DESIGNER Maheswar Gauda COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Kapil Gulati SALES & ADVERTISING Raunaq Pinto (raunaq@thegutshot.com) MARKETING HEAD Dwayne Fernandes (dwayne@gutshotmagazine.com) BUSINESS HEAD Ashvin Rao (ashvin@gutshotmagazine.com) Volume 2 I Issue 10 I OCTOBER 2021
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.
As we swing into the final months of this year, hope continues to blossom as far as the gaming industry is concerned. The nerve center of gaming in the country, Goa, brought some cheers to casino enthusiasts when the state government allowed operations to resume in the latter half of September. Of course, it seems unlikely that large scale tournament events will resume any time soon but cash game festivals have already begun in the floating casinos moored in the Mandovi River. Our cover feature for this issue is a young man who has been putting in some consistent performances at the virtual felts for quite some time now. Ankit Wadhawan has racked up scores aplenty, and most recently, was crowned champion at the Main Event of Spartan Poker’s Final Table Series 3.0. The 28-year-old, Chandigarh resident talks about his start in the sport, his great form in the recent FTS and more in our highlight story. This issue’s angle focuses on security as this is of paramount importance not only to the owners and management of various online platforms and live venues but also the players as well. We speak with stakeholders about their approach to maintaining the sanctity of gaming operations and players on what they expect from a vigilance perspective. Lastly, a shout out to the Indian contingent who has landed in Las Vegas to participate in the ongoing World Series of Poker. It may be a smaller-than-usual bunch that’s headed to the Sin City but some of India’s finest poker talent is repping us and a massive good luck to the players who we hope will score another gold for the country. Till next time, stay safe and keep crushing!
PETER ABRAHAM Editor-In-Chief
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ADVISORY BOARD
ADVISORY BOARD As a part of our journey to develop into a world-class publication with the highest reputation, we happily present Gutshot Magazine’s Editorial Advisory Board members. These thought leaders in their areas of expertise will vitalise the editorial scope and focus of the magazine and will be our eyes and ears to the Real Money Gaming industry.
Amin Rozani MD, Spartan Group
Roland Landers CEO, All India Gaming Federation (AIGF)
Karan Vig Head of Production, Mind Sports League
Richard Haridasoham Poker expert and commentator
Muskan Sethi Professional Poker Player Responsible Gaming Ambassador
Ramesh Rao Thotapalli Casino Pride 1 Poker Room
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https://bit.ly/GSGamble
BULLETIN OF THE MONTH
Deltin Announces India’s Largest Poker Cash Festival - ‘ORBIT’
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ndia’s leading luxury gaming and entertainment brand ‘Deltin,’ owned by Delta Corp Ltd., is enthralled to invite professional poker players and host them at India’s largest poker cash festival ‘ORBIT’ to be held at Asia’s largest offshore gaming and entertainment destination Deltin Royale. ORBIT festival begins on 20th October 2021 and continues until 24th October and aims to offer a fun gaming and entertainment experience to all the poker enthusiasts. It is a one-of-a-kind festival that will witness a plethora of poker
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players showcasing their skills and competing for an array of prizes from the most celebrated brands like Kia, BMW, Apple, Sony, etc. Speaking on the event, Yucel Yagiz, General Manager Gaming, Deltin, said, “The festival combines the best of Live Poker with the enthralling grandeur and excitement that ‘Deltin’ is synonymous with. I’m sure the poker enthusiasts would appreciate the non-stop gaming action for four days onboard our flagship property – Deltin Royale which offers a luxurious, comfortable and safe
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atmosphere to indulge in the best of poker.” The exemplary players, participating in the festival, will have the opportunity to win prizes every day. Prizes such as Apple MacBook Pro, iPhone 13 and PS5 are to be won at 8 PM daily during the festival. The most highly skilled players will get a chance to take home the grand mega prizes; a brand-new Kia Seltos car and a super BMW G310R bike. Interested players can register for the event by contacting the ‘Orbit’ team @ 90110 13514
https://bit.ly/GSCalling
POKER
Casino Security: A Fort Knox In The Making Ditching what the owners think, we dived and went on a quest to know what the poker players think about the current security features of casinos.
By Mrinal Gujare
H
ave you ever wondered what goes into maintaining top-of-theline security at a casino where emotions run sky-high? Yes? No? Let us explain. The casino floor is constantly bustling with activity. There is cheer, and there is sadness, but one thing is constant- security and surveillance! Wondering what we are trying to say here? Well, let’s get to it. Security and surveillance in casinos is our subject for this article. Why?
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Do you not look for safe casinos? Of course, you do. Money won and lost is crucial, be it for a player or the casino. Both the players and the casino operators go to great lengths to ensure that their players’ hardearned money is under lock and key. But security and surveillance are not restricted to just money. It also involves securing the casino floor, preventing fraud (not just from the outsiders but also from the insiders), protecting the casino vault, maintaining the casino decorum, etc. Every step is monitored from the 2021
time you step into a casino to the time you walk out. Now, you may feel that the things we have listed are obvious. CCTV cameras are all over the place. Everyone on the casino floor is tracked and traced. This is about casinos doing everything in their power to protect their players’ trust, business and property. Video Surveillance System (VMS) is also in existence and makes use of facial recognition technology. Casinos also employ
POKER
128-bit encryption to save the casino’s network from hacks. If Hollywood movies have taught us anything, then you know how casino surveillance networks and VMS works. The security team at a casino could simply upload a picture of a ‘person on the lookout’ into the system, and the minute they pop up on the casino floor, they will be nabbed! For this story, we took a slightly unusual route. Instead of diving into the security and surveillance muscle of casinos, Gutshot spoke to a few poker players who have lived the casino experience to know more about what they expect in terms of security and surveillance.
All the benefits of RFID got us thinking about what the players’ views are on the same. So, we reached out to Goonjan Mall, one of India’s top poker pros, to know his views on the RFID security measure he would like to see in a casino. This poker dynamo says, “With respect to the RFID tables, we need to make sure that information relay is done appropriately and the data transmission is delayed by a few minutes even to the commentators to avoid an information leak.” We agree with this poker champ, as more and more casinos are opting for this technology to up the ante with their poker games.
Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) The year was 1945 when the RFID technology was introduced thanks to a gentleman called Leon Theremin. The purpose of this invention—espionage. Casino operators did well using this piece of technology to stay clear of cheaters, robbers and whatnot.
Playing cards in casinos also have RFID chips or tags that read and transfer data to the production team in case the tourney is streamed on a digital platform. RFID chips also count the value of bets, stacks and pots in play. This technology has brought about a fundamental change in the way casino security works, much to the respite of the owners.
RFID tables and chips are a blessing for casino owners who wish to track every single penny that goes in and out. Having RDIF in casino chips is an advantage concerning counterfeiting and the subsequent loss. This technology makes use of electromagnetic fields that automatically identify and track labels or chips. Labels have information stored in them electronically and are of two kinds.
CCTV Cameras Closed-circuit television cameras are a crucial ingredient of video surveillance. Casinos have CCTV cameras installed on their property to prevent theft, fraud of any kind, or even vandalism. We quizzed Mall about CCTV cameras in a casino. This FTS 2.0 Big Game chip leader says, “CCTV should be mandatory. Footage must be private and should not be shared unless the law requires it.” Could
Ramesh Rao Thotapalli
Goonjan Mall
he be more correct? We don’t think so. Suppose casinos extend the CCTV coverage to places like a parking garage or the sidewalk outside the casino to ensure the perimeter is secure. In that case, casino operators will do themselves a big favour. Bouncers Bouncers add to the security muscle of a casino. When a fraudulent player gets caught, or you get into a fight with a fellow player on the table (never do that), remember the strongest arm in the room will escort you outside. It depends on you, whether you wish to make it painful or painless (pun intended).
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India Online Poker Championship (IOPC) July 2021 commentator Mall also sheds light on bouncers present on the casino floor. The Monday Nitro winner says, “Not a fan of bouncers on the gaming floor. There should be central security to escort unruly people causing havoc off the property.” Talking about bouncers, Ramesh Rao Thotapalli, fondly called RRT by his fans, says, “Bouncers add a layer of security on the floor. Sometimes, emotions run high and low, and it is necessary to maintain decorum in a poker room.” FTS 3.0 #23 Highroller winner Vivek Singh states a similar view about casino security. This poker pro says, “Bouncers and security personnel for the gaming rules and regulations are a must for security and surveillance in a casino.” We couldn’t agree more! Fraudulent players Casinos will go to any extent to prevent a scam and to keep fraudulent players at bay. Casino operators have banned players who have tried to pull a scam and have blatantly indulged in skulduggery (think of the 2008 Kevin Spacey starrer movie 21). We grilled Mall further on spotting fraudulent players. The poker player says, “It is crucial to share details of the fraudulent player with other casinos, clubs and the poker fraternity. We could also enforce time-limited 12
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bans on such players based on the severity of the offence.” Online regular Singh, who nailed the Destiny tournament in June 2021, says, “Banning a fraud player from the event must be done, and it could be as strict as banning the player from the casino.” COVID-19 security protocols Casinos in Las Vegas had previously installed plexiglass on poker tables and made entry available only to those players who were fully vaccinated, etc., to create a safe environment for everyone present in the casino. In India, the Goa and Sikkim State Governments issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the casino operators, which were non-negotiable and had to be followed. We got in touch with WPT Vietnam 2018 winner, Dhaval Mudgal, to know what he feels about the COVID-19 related security measures in casinos. Mudgal says, “I think avoiding a crowd at the entry gate and limiting the total number of entries in a day will be important alongside the regular sanitisation norms. There should be a strict mask mandate, sanitisers, regular testing of staff and 8-max tables.” Thotapalli, who recently took over Casa Tito in Goa, also shared his thoughts on the subject. Thotapalli says, “Sanitise the chips, decks and opt for a 7-handed table instead of an
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Dhaval Mudgal
8 or a 9-handed one. Keeping ample space between two tables and making sure everyone present is wearing masks are some measures that need to be maintained diligently.” Be it players or casinos, neither of the two should think of dropping their guard with the COVID-19 protocols. No need to remind you—prevention is better than cure. Finally, to conclude, we would like to add that security and surveillance are of prime importance for the casino owners and the players who visit them. No player should feel like they are in a vulnerable spot. Keeping unscrupulous elements at long distances and offering an impeccable experience to visitors ought to be a top priority for casino operators. Being armed to the teeth is quite advisable, as a real-life experience of an Ocean’s 11 is not really recommended.
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ADVERTORIAL
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Golden. Our casino is built with the focus on the players, who not only want to play but are also looking for an escape from the mundane.” Located at La Calypso, Baga, the casino follows strict COVID-19 safety protocols, performing temperature checks, sanitised chips & tables, contactless payments and social distancing. At Casino Golden, players can indulge in games like roulette, casino war, baccarat, andarbahar, teen patti, blackjack, slots and more! To make it much more entertaining for its players,
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Casino Golden will also be joining hands with IndiaPlays, a popular online gaming destination where Indians can play and win real money 24/7. It is soon to launch rummy and fantasy leagues as a part of its game offerings. Casino Golden will soon be opening in Sikkim, and the association will only grow stronger from there. Follow Casino Golden on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn (casinogoldengoa) and stay tuned! You can also follow IndiaPlays and Casino Golden to know the latest updates.
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COVER STORY
Stacks don’t lie In conversation with FTS 3.0 Winner Ankit Wadhawan By Donna Amo 16
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COVER STORY
S
tanding atop an unmoving mountain with the world beneath your feet is a feeling that can’t be described, only experienced. All the years of struggle, trial, and hard work finally pay off in that beautiful instant when the sun hits your eyes, and for one breathtaking moment, you know you’ve made it. For Ankit Wadhawan, cooped up in a room with only his PC on and music playing in the background, that moment of victory was soon approaching. Not many start off a poker series expecting to ship the Main Event. One only tries to perform their best and hope that they are prepared enough for it when the time comes. When the third edition of the Final Table Series hit the online felts in September, Ankit Wadhawan was
excited to be a part of it, just like any other poker player. However, winning was indeed on the cards for this up-and-coming poker pro.
appreciated even the most minor role that someone played in his life. Congratulations on your FTS 3.0 Main Event win! How does it feel sitting at the top seat? Thank you so much! It definitely feels great! I feel very proud of this achievement and quite content with my performance. This win is, in fact, my first main event title, so it’s a special one for sure.
With two stacks in the bag, ‘Shippament’ as he is virtually known on Spartan Poker, stormed Day 2 of the FTS 3.0 Main Event with incredible focus and grabbed that prestigious diamond-studded medallion for himself. Of course, the tournament ended in a deal between him and Devang Yadav, but a win is What was your strategy like going into Day 2 of the FTS 3.0 Main a win nonetheless. Event with two stacks? Owing most of his stellar success to It was a single day multi-flight tournament where I started Day 2 his time on the PokerGuru stables with two good stacks. I didn’t chalk and his mentor Aditya Agarwal, the out a strategy, but I’ve been in this 28-year-old from Chandigarh, was situation a couple of times in the elated to talk about the thrill of past where I’ve entered Day 2 with having one of the best years in his multiple stacks. During India Online poker career. As the conversation Poker Championship (IOPC) 2019, I turned to his success, Wadhawan G UTS H OT
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had six stacks going to Day 2, and I finished in the sixteenth and eighth positions in that tournament. I recently had two stacks at Spartan Poker’s Millionaire, finishing in the tenth and eleventh positions. I knew it could have gone either way when playing on FTS 3.0, so I focused on playing one pot at a time. I kept the mind chatter about future moves to a minimum. If I played down to the 6, I knew we would play at the final table the next day. Cutting it short, what helped me most was playing one pot at a time. Before this, you also managed to take home three WPT titles! Was the feeling of winning FTS 3.0 ME on par with this or better? Every win has had a different feeling to it - each was exhilarating and inspired me to keep going and improving. As long as I move forward in the right direction, I am happy. Putting in the work and reaping the rewards is as sweet as it gets. Along with your FTS 3.0 Main Event win, three WPT title clinches, and dream run at the National Poker Series, 2021 seems like a good year for you. How do you feel about your poker career right now? Yes, it has been a good year with good results. I think the time has helped me strengthen my game. I feel like I am in a good place at the moment and would hope to keep this momentum going forward. There is still a lot of room for improvement, of course. I do believe it is a never-ending learning process. 18
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Coming back to your win at FTS 3.0, you and Yadav struck a deal in the end. Why did you decide to end it there instead of fighting to the end? Both of us had more than half of the chips in play at the beginning of the final table. All the other short stacks soon busted, and we were left with an average of 60 BB (big blinds). We are both very good friends, and I did not hesitate while taking the deal. Devang is a top poker player, and given his calibre, I think the game could’ve gone either way. I was happy to cut the deal while I was ahead, haha. A big congratulations to Devang, too, for his excellent performance! Tell us more about your poker journey; what was the one defining moment where you realized that this mind sport was for you? I played poker recreationally for a few years before realizing it was legal, and people have dedicated their lives to this sport. The fact that the earnings would be legit was enough to push me. That is when playing full time seemed within reach. I was preparing for the civil services exam at the time, so at that moment, I decided to pull a 180 and changed my life goals, and I haven’t regretted the decision since. You’ve been trained in the PokerGuru stables; do you feel this gives you an edge over other players? I think any training off the table would give you an edge in the field. Things started looking up for me when I first signed up with 2021
PokerGuru. I think that is when I really caught my stride. But what has indeed given me an edge was working with the PokerGuru stable and my coach, Aditya Agarwal. For the last couple of years, he has shown me the ropes of finding my way as a pro and has honestly been a guiding light in my career. He, of course, has learnt a lot from his own experience and a long poker career. There are also various advanced solvers out there where you can plug in information and get results. On top of this, I have studied a lot of videos and free content on YouTube. You have to know what to look for. Like any other sport, practice, training, and working hard have been essential in establishing the ‘edge’ in my game. Have you developed a specific routine? For example, before starting your session, do you spend time analyzing previous hands and situations? Yes, my routines are crucial for me. I thrive the most when I have consistency in my life. For poker specifically, I regularly go through my hand histories and run them through solvers. Learning the theory helps build a foundation - it’s not fun or fancy, but it makes sense to do so. I also aim to exercise 4-5 days a week to feel stronger in my body and more balanced in my mind. I have also recently started meditating. It feels pretty rewarding for now. I’m still new at it, so let’s see how it goes. You’re currently based in Chandigarh; tell us what you love
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most about the city? What is the poker scene like in Chandigarh? Chandigarh is rightly called ‘The City of Beauty.’ It is an architecturally well-organized city with a lot of foliage. I grew up here and have always felt at peace and home here. Like other states in India, live poker is banned here, too, so online poker is the way to go. Although, I do hope one day we can have poker rooms in all states of the country. What are the main ways you developed your game during the years? Did you take any poker lessons from professional players? I tried my luck with a few courses before I approached PokerGuru. Like mentioned before, things started to look up when I joined PokerGuru. It offered me a great platform to explore the game. Using the discernment of what exactly to study and how - made all the difference at the time. That coaching period was pretty incredible! Aditya Agarwal knows his stuff and has an excellent eye for knowing what to look for. Given its nature, the game’s meta keeps evolving, and one has to be flexible enough to adapt. An excellent way to put it is that the strategy I know today might be annulled in a year because things rapidly change around here. It is a valuable trait to think a couple of steps ahead.
him would be ‘my second coach.’ He is quite brilliant at what he does, and I am so grateful to have someone of that calibre study with me.
Talking of strategy, Ashish Munot (kawa) has been my study partner for What do you think can someone a while now. A more suitable title for become a successful player
without personal or any other type of coaching? Yes, definitely. If there is an inner drive to learn and improve, anyone can do anything they set their mind to. I genuinely believe that. With that being said, mentoring and
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coaching have many benefits too, but I don’t think it is mandatory. While passion can take you many places, it is imperative to play it smart - know what and how to study when things fall out of place. I see many players watching YouTube videos or other content that might not be very relevant to their game. Many solvers in this day and age are super helpful in understanding concepts like Chipev, GTO and ICM - all very important in tournament poker. You have a lot of friends in the poker industry; how have these friendships helped you in your overall journey? I am very grateful for all my friendships, and since we are talking about them, I’d love to thank some of them here - I apologize in advance; the list will probably be a bit long. Sumit Sapra was the first person that introduced me to the Indian online poker scene and guided me during the early stages of my career. Raman Gujral was also one of the people who pushed me to try online poker tournaments when we first met in Chandigarh. Ashish Ahuja, Arjan Chadha, and I go way back to our underground cash games here in Chandigarh. Sahil Mahboobani was one of my first online poker friends, and he still is one of my closest friends today. He helped me through many hoops and guided me well through my first year of online poker. I have spent weeks at his place during long poker series. 20
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Laksh Pal Singh was the one who encouraged me and got me into PokerGuru. He has always been around and has been a great friend to me. Kartik Ved has played a very significant role in shaping my career by providing the best opportunities out there. Aditya Agarwal, my coach - I owe everything to him. I wouldn’t have made it without a mentor like him, and last but not least, Ashish Munot has been a reliable study partner since the beginning. I’m very thankful for everyone who has helped me along the way, and we’ve still a long way to go. Why do you think the poker industry in India is such a closeknit community? I would imagine that poker communities worldwide are all close-knit, given it is not a ‘regular’ job or lifestyle. It is, on its own, a unique way of life. The schedule, the type of mindset required, and its individualistic nature make the dynamics different from the rest of the society. It has grown more significant with time and is slowly gaining recognition and validation from society, especially here in India. What are some of the most challenging times you had to go through during your poker career? There were a couple of times when I found myself at crossroads. The biggest one was deciding to go pro. Playing poker for a living sounds fun on the surface, but in reality, 2021
it requires daily discipline and dedication. Initially, my parents were certainly not on board with my career choice. That led to a whole other set of challenges. I also had a tough time managing my bankroll early on in the journey, so when the opportunity to play for PokerGuru arose, I was ALL IN! How has poker changed the way you look at life? Poker has significantly changed my outlook on life. It has been a gradual realisation that my work outside of poker directly impacts my performance. When I practice presence and mindfulness in my daily life, I can be more at ease when I play. Without grandstanding, I believe that poker has taught me to embody patience, resilience, consistency, and dedication, not just towards the craft but also in life in general. I find myself constantly giving examples to my friends about life in context to poker, which is amusing but true! Lastly, an anecdote or piece of advice you want to tell our readers? Your passion for the game is what is going to make your future in this field sustainable. It isn’t about the destination but the journey. Embrace it! The climb was not easy for Wadhawan, but even as the rays of victory danced across his face, Wadhawan revelled in the thought, knowing that he didn’t make it to the top alone.
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TELL TALES YOUR FAVOURITE POKER BUDDY
Ashish Munot A VITAL TRAIT TO HAVE AS A POKER PLAYER
Persistence A LESSON LEARNT FROM POKER.
It is what it is! THREE PEOPLE YOU’D PICK TO BE IN YOUR POKER TEAM
Bencb, Niklas Astedt, Aditya Agarwal ONE NICKNAME YOU WILL NEVER FORGET
Doomie A SKILL YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED BUT COULD NEVER LEARN
Playing an instrument or DJing. THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSON IN YOUR LIFE WHEN IT COMES TO POKER
Aditya Agarwal IF YOU WIN THE WSOP MAIN EVENT FT, WHAT’S THE FIRST THING YOU’D DO?
Throw a huge party for my friends and family. Fly everyone out to Las Vegas and go crazy. All that before I get back to reality and back to grinding.
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Anti-Money Laundering in Casinos: A Safety Net Casinos are always at a risk of becoming a target of money laundering. Hence, we take a dive into security and vigilance mode of casinos to stay away from dirty money.
By Donna Amo
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s casinos handle copious amounts of money, security is any casino’s top priority. In places where huge amounts of cash are involved, criminal activity is just lurking around the corner. It then becomes the responsibility of casinos to put measures and
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guidelines to prevent these kinds of illicit activities from taking place. While there are various kinds of casinos crimes that can occur, money laundering is most often associated with casinos. Since casinos are a cash-based industry, it is not uncommon to 2021
see people come or leave with truckloads of money. However, this is precisely the kind of place that criminals look for when starting a money-laundering operation. Casinos are always at a risk of becoming a target of such activities, and hence, security and vigilance play an essential role.
POKER
A Sneak Peak Into Money Laundering Money laundering is the illegal process of turning large sums of black money, i.e., money generated by criminal activities like drug or sex trafficking, into clean cash from a legitimate source. This process, known as money laundering, is a way to clean or ‘’launder’’ dirty money. While the concept of money laundering is easy to understand, the actual process itself is a bit more complicated. The process has three stages, namely placement, layering, and integration. In the placement stage, the illegal money gets deposited into legal, financial systems like bank accounts registered to anonymous corporations or offshore accounts. Here, the criminal money is cleaned and disguised as coming from a legal, economic system. The second stage is called ‘’layering,’’ where criminals make the illegal money difficult for authorities to detect in these laundering activities. This is done by obscuring the money trail through the various strategic layering of transactions and falsified bookkeeping. This is a crucial stage in the process as the source of the money is concealed. The third and final stage is ‘’integration,’’ where the criminal money is integrated into the
Enrique Pena Nieto, Former President of Mexico economy. This is where criminals pass the money through places like casinos or invest it in real estate, where they can now create a plausible reason for the source of the funds. After this, criminals can then reunite with their ‘’legal’’ money. It becomes tough to distinguish between legal and illegal wealth after this stage. It should be noted that these stages overlap with each other, with some forms of money laundering skipping the first step of ‘’placement.’’ Enrique Pena Nieto, Former President of Mexico, once said, “I think money laundering is giving oxygen to organised crime.” Money laundering is illegal because it is a way that
allows criminals to profit from their crimes. Without laundering their ill-gotten gains, criminals will have difficulty explaining from where they got these vast sums of money. According to a United Nation’s report, 90% of the global money laundering activities go undetected every year. Once the money has been integrated into the economy, tracking its source becomes close to impossible. The statistics show how effective the method is if done right and why criminals continue to look for ways to commit the crime. Casinos - An Easy Target Since financial transactions in casinos usually take place on a large scale, it is easy for criminals
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to use them to launder money. This is done by buying chips from the casinos in exchange for the cash they have in hand. Criminals can then return without gambling and take checks from the casinos after returning the chips. Once these checks get deposited in the bank, they are then used to purchase any goods. This is the process through which money gets laundered in casinos. The illegal cash now has a legitimate source created by submitting cash and receiving a check in return for the chips. However, staff and security teams in legal casinos are now very well-trained to spot any suspicious activities taking place. This is an important measure taken by casinos because any form of criminal activity is harmful to legitimate businesses and should be prevented. Preventing Money Laundering in Casinos While gambling is largely prohibited in India, it is permitted as an official activity in many other nations. One of the primary motivations for the growth of legal gambling is that it gives considerable revenue to governments and jobs to community groups. They are responsible for paying income taxes to the revenue authorities. However, the societal costs of illegal gambling outweigh the advantages when considering the influence of gaming on crime. Furthermore, more than half of 24
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Ram Kakkar, Goa-based lawyer and poker player gambling addicts turn to crime and fraud to feed their habit. Casinos must be even more vigilant with their security measures to prevent these kinds of criminal activities. Once the security of the casinos is compromised, these kinds of activities can remain unchecked, allowing criminals to continue with their illegal operations. This is why there are specific guidelines upon which casinos base their antimoney laundering (AML) policies. For employees working in casinos, an AML course is a compulsory training program to spot money laundering activities. Here staff are trained to recognised red flags of money laundering.
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Red Flags: Refusing to provide the required information when making an account • Identification presented cannot be verified • Producing seemingly false information or identification that appears to be inaccurate • Closing an account after an initial deposit is made without reasonable explanation • Avoiding contact with reporting employees • Individual(s) involved in the transaction is linked to criminal activities Globally, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) develops and promotes policies to protect the financial
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system against money laundering and terrorist financing (FATF Report). The recommendations by the FATF are recognised as the global anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CFT) standard. In accordance with the guidelines provided by FATF, the Government of India has also put in place rules and regulations to prevent money laundering in the country. The Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 and the Prevention of Money Laundering (Maintenance of Records) Rules, 2005 are the laws to prevent money laundering in the country. Failure of a casino to follow AML regulations have strong repercussions. While there are regulatory fines for certain violations, the real risk that casinos face with non-compliance is
the potential risk of getting debunked. This is where casinos lose their relationship with the bank, as the bank chooses not to take on board the casino as its client. Once a bank rejects a casino, it becomes difficult to build back that trust and could prove to be the end of the casino. Casino security is paramount in India In India, casinos already have a ‘taboo’ reputation, and the threat of money laundering should not be taken lightly. Security thus plays a vital role in casinos with so many transactions and the involvement of large sums of money. “It is vital for casinos and gaming industry in general, online and offline, to exercise the highest standards of vigilance, simply because the level of scrutiny and social stigma is higher. Any untoward incident could attract
a disproportionately severe response from the judiciary, authorities, or the public. Since there is not much by way of casino or gaming regulations, the importance of due self-regulation by the industry leaders cannot be overstressed. They should be the torch bearers leading to legalisation and government regulation in the years to come. It should also be noted that criminal acts cannot be settled in India as they can be in some foreign jurisdictions. Any long drawn criminal trial would presumably be in feeble light,” said Ram Kakkar, Goa-based lawyer and poker player. With the hard repercussions that casinos face when caught, they can’t ignore the need for proper security measures to prevent illegal activities like money laundering. The bar is set even higher for Indian casinos, and vigilance in security is the key.
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Only Surveillance Will Save Your Transaction Plane From Crashing Ankit Raipuria, Consultant at yourCFO, speaks about the robustness of financial transactions on online poker sites.
By Mrinal Gujare
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ecurity and surveillance is a burning subject that is of prime importance for real money gaming operators. Talking about financial transactions, there are multiple layers of security that a brand will surely add to its platform if offering a secure and seamless experience is its top priority. Not sure how many of the real money gamers are aware of the hardcore tech stuff put in place, but the highest level of security is on every operator’s agenda. Some security protocols that are put to use include 3D Secure Authentication (security layer for a card-not-present transaction), Address Verification Service (AVS: A system to prevent fraud), and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL: A protocol that deals with authentication, privacy and data integrity). Yes, we know these terms must boggle your mind, but worry not. These security measures are established to make an online poker site bullet-proof with respect to financial transactions. Aren’t you worried about the fraudulent transactions or your money getting stolen? Of course, you are. From what we have
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read and observed, online poker players look for certified sites for being secure in terms of financial transactions. To shed more light on this matter, we spoke to Ankit Raipuria, Consultant at yourCFO, to know more about the robustness of financial transactions on online poker sites. From an online poker room’s perspective, which elements do you feel should be in place when dealing with financial transactions on the site? When we talk about elements of security, first comes the safety of the website. Next comes the speed of the internet and the APIs (application programming interface) which you run. When someone pays or goes to the payment gateway, your system should be able to extract and update the status within a fraction of a second. Aspects like security, connectivity, and having bug free APIs are very critical. Talking about the transaction security on a poker platform like Spartan Poker, how fool proof is the current security measures? I would say on a scale of 1-10; it would be 10 out of 10. There are several reasons for this. When 2021
Ankit Raipuria, Consultant at yourCFO
you look at Quadnet as an entire network, I have observed them closely and seen their system. They have tied up with different payment gateways, and their backend is managed effectively, their websites are secured, and they have licenses for that. When a user makes a transaction via a payment aggregator, like RazorPay, Cashfree or PayU, information like the card details do not get captured by Quadrific Media. Even payment gateways need the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) licenses to operate; hence,
POKER
it is a 100% fool proof system. Quadnet does not keep any confidential data of the player, and since RBI guidelines govern payment gateways, the system is fool proof. Will an in-house system make financial transactions safer for an online poker room? To create in-house software, you will need an aggregator, either a bank or a payment gateway, which operates in the market. You cannot run an independent payment service unless you take a license from RBI. So, the in-house system may not directly relate to an online poker room. Can upgraded technology help in reducing the number of fraudulent attempts? Fraudulent transactions are the responsibility of the payment gateway. A brand will have an aggregator in between and should not allow for any fraud attempts made via hacks on the site. There are systems in place to monitor IPs (Internet Protocol: A set of rules which govern the format of data sent via the internet) and fraudulent transactions which may be happening. Poker sites monitor IPs and suspicious transactions. Payment gateways also follow this process, but it’s necessary to be diligent. Sometimes people end up sharing their OTPs, which leads to fraud. It is more about awareness than it is about technology. Upgraded technology can surely help, but due diligence needs to be followed.
Can a poker site completely eradicate fraudulent transactions on debit and credit cards? Most poker sites have a KYC verification in place, but there is a payment gateway in between. So 100% eradication of fraudulent transactions may not be possible to achieve but can be reduced to maybe 0.01 or 0.001% frequency. Do you feel outsourcing payment transaction security to third parties is appropriate for online poker rooms? Outsourcing is a common practice in the industry; you outsource things you are not an expert at. These payment aggregators come with a vast knowledge base, and they are equipped to handle large volumes of transactions as a company. Having an in-house payment gateway may not even justify the cost. Instead, focus on something that you are best at. What to look for in a poker site in terms of transactional security
from a player’s perspective? Players should look at the standing of the brand, how old the company is. Read reviews about the online poker site. This is true not just for a poker site but for any e-commerce website. If you are planning to make a transaction, then look for sites that run on HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure), not HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), as the former is more secure. Players should do a good amount of research and only then make deposits. We know it is not common to swim in an ocean of security and surveillance protocols, but it is good to be aware versus being clueless. It may not sound thrilling, but knowing what goes into making an online poker site secure could ultimately benefit the players, as grinding on a well-guarded site will always be the top priority.
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An Undettered Belief And An Optimist Mindset - In conversation with Aman Bhadu By Amarylisa Gonsalves
The online poker scene in India is growing leaps and bounds with every passing day. Newer players are emerging and acing their game on the virtual felts. Some of these players achieve unbelievable milestones by giving the top pros a hard time. Through Gutshot Player of the Month, we look forward to bring one such player to the limelight, who with dedication and passion has achieved exceptional results during a given month. The Advisory Board at Gutshot picks one player to be the Gutshot Player of the Month. This month it is Aman Bhadu from BLITZPOKER. Bhadu started playing poker during his college days in Delhi. Eventually, the small town boy from Rajasthan fell in love with the game. The trader-cumpoker player managed to ship the first and only tournament he played at the FTS 3.0 on BLITZPOKER for ₹7.72 Lakh. His passion for the game and his belief in himself is something that makes this IITian truly an inspiration. Here’s everything Bhadu had to share about winning the Gutshot Player of the Month title and everything about his poker journey. What was the feeling like when you found out that BLITZPOKER had nominated you for player of the month? It feels great to be nominated. My level of happiness rose to ecstasy when I heard I was the one nominated this month. Where are you based at? Does the place you come from play a role in you choosing this skill game? I am currently living in Delhi. I come from the small town of Hanumangarh in Rajasthan. I started playing poker when I joined IIT Delhi. Are you a full-time poker player? If not, tell us more 28
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about your professional career? My college days in IIT Delhi helped me shape my poker career. I am a professional trader as well as a professional poker player. I make sure to devot my time equally to both my professions. How were you first introduced to the game of poker? I was introduced to poker in my college. My friends introduced me to poker when I was studying at IIT Delhi. How did you get introduced to BLITZPOKER? I was introduced to BLITZPOKER also by my friends during my 2021
college days in IIT Delhi. BLITZPOKER had mentioned that you shipped the FTS #29 event for ₹7,72,000. Can you tell us a little more about that tournament? Was that the only event you played in FTS 3.0 or are you a regular during such series? Yes, that was the only tournament I played in that series and I shipped it. It’s amazing to ship an event at a huge series like FTS in the first attempt. Which are the tournaments that you are looking forward to? I am certainly looking forward to the next IOPC edition.
http://bit.ly/GSBlitzP
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As a regular on BLITZPOKER, which are some of the features you absolutely love about the platform? On BLITZPOKER, the interface is certainly off of the charts. Additionally, the platform doesn’t hang too much, which enhances the overall playing experience. So kudos to BLITZPOKER for that. What were the most challenging thing you had to face as a poker player? The most challenging thing is emotional drainage when none of your family members support you. Everything you listen is just going to demean you. But, I believe, faith in process and self-discipline are the key factors. I am just going to have faith and follow the process. Tell us one pre-grind ritual that you follow. Pre-grind I try to mentally prepare myself. It doesn’t matter if I have a bad day. What are some learnings that
Aman Bhadu plays as HatodaTyagi at Blitzpoker
have made you pursue the game constantly? It’s all about habits that decide whether you are going to be a champion or a loser. So keep a check on your habits. Since the time you started playing poker, what are some of the changes in your life? Life has been less stressed since I started playing this game. I
Username Total winning amount No. of tournaments played
HatodaTyagi 824400 26
% win Tournaments total buy-in amount
11.5 122750
No. of times ITM
3
Avg.count of bullets fired in tournaments
1
Biggest win amount
772000
Winning tournament FTS #29 30
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Winning amount 772000
personally find it better than most 9 to 5 jobs and as the hindi saying goes “aap apni marzi ke malik hona.” Playing poker gives me that independence so I think that’s really great. Describe yourself as a poker player in one word. In one-word - ‘Exploiter.’ What was the thought process behind your nickname ‘Hatodatyagi’? Hatodatyagi is a name from a popular web-series. The character was a fierce one. The name I think strikes fear in the minds of the opponents and it sound pretty good too. As a poker player, where do you see yourself five years down the line? I believe I am the champion and I will continue to be one if I stay in the game for 5 years. Cheers!
GAMING
Sumo Digital: Expanding India’s Gaming Horizons Stewart Neal, Studio Director of Sumo India Studios takes us through Sumo Digital’s new Bengaluru Studio and their expansion plans in India.
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he gaming industry in India is bursting with talent, and with each passing year, thousands upon thousands join the community of gamers in the country. While video games of all kinds take over the free time and space of the youth, there is also a looming threat of security and safety plaguing the gaming community. However, industry leaders continue to work tirelessly to give players the best and safest gaming experience possible amidst these storms. Working with digital giants like Apple and Microsoft, Sumo Digital is one of the world’s best game development studios and have expanded its base to India. We talked to Stewart Neal, Studio Director of Sumo India Studios, to give us a glimpse into the world of game development, the measures taken to ensure a safe experience for its gamers, and the opportunities it provides aspiring talent in the game making space. Tell us more about Sumo Digital and what was the reason for its expansion into India? Sumo Digital is a part of the Sump Group and has over 15 studios across Europe, America,
By Donna Amo Canada, and India. Sumo Pune and Sumo Bengaluru will now be collaborating and co-developing on projects. Sumo Pune was established in 2007, and it was the second studio opened by Sumo Digital. Since then, we’ve developed a premium destination for console and PC games in India; a great experience. We have developed video games with partners like Apple, Microsoft, Sony and many more. The reason for the initial expansion in 2007 was to tap into the talent pool in India. Gaming is a growing industry, and looking at the kind of skills there are in areas like film, VFX etc., it was a natural decision. We’ve grown to around 150 studios and expect to continually grow across art programming, design, QA, and production. Sumo Digital has decided to open a new Bengaluru studio, and plans have also been laid out for Sumo Pune to expand. What can you tell us about it? It’s exciting as we’ve been planning for an expansion for a long time. So, it’s been amazing to announce that it is finally happening. There was a lot of work involved with the new studio opening up in Bangalore.
Stewart Neal, Studio Director, Sumo India Studios The discussion and planning for the expansion had started before COVID-19 hit. So, now what we’re doing is setting it up when it’s safe to do so. We’re working with the discipline heads across both studios to facilitate the growth of Sumo Bengaluru. The most important thing for the leadership is to ensure a seamless integration for both sites. We have an excellent working culture, and we want to make sure that that translates across both studios. With Sumo Pune over the last 18 months, we’ve purposefully outgrown our current studio space. The range of projects and their success resulted in increased demand across all disciplines, which is why the
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expansion was just the natural next step. What does the expansion offer in terms of new opportunities for anyone looking to join Sumo Pune? Sumo Pune’s growth is to expand further our commitment to console game development in the city and offer more exciting opportunities to people who want to join Sumo Pune and the team. Regarding direct opportunities, the games that we work on, like AAA console titles, provide tremendous opportunities for technical career growth for the people in the field. What are some video game projects that Sumo Bangalore has in store for its gamers? While I can’t go into titles currently in development, some of the previous titles that we’ve developed, like the BAFTA-winning Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Hood: Outlaws & Legends, Forza Horizon 4, and award-winning Little Orpheus give just an idea of the kind of games, people can expect from us and get excited about. What part of the video game development process do you think is the most important? It’s a difficult question to answer because, for me, all departments and steps are equally important. The entire process is crucial, from the initial prototyping design, the programming of systems, the engineering behind it, the artwork, QA to the marketing. It’s a collective effort that makes the game a success. I 32
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As a developer, we undergo strict and robust due diligence processes to partner in the development of games with the publishers. believe it’s teamwork, support, communication, and co-operation that are most important. Why is security so important when it comes to video games? Games are now more community and socially driven with mass amounts of data stored; security threats are a real possibility. Having a robust security measure for video games is a crucial requirement that should not be overlooked. While the issue of security is mainly dealt with game publishers, as game developers, what is the best that can be done to ensure a safe gaming experience for players? As a developer, we undergo strict and robust due diligence processes to partner in the development of games with the publishers. We also do an additional input with our IT department, which is as much we can do to promote a safe gaming experience for players. Most games have a beta-testing period before the official launch 2021
of the game. Can you tell us a bit about the importance of this stage in game development? Beta testing allows us to get live feedback and work with the community to gauge what is successful or not in the game. It is to get all-around input that helps us improve features like specific game balancing or spot bugs. It assists us in understanding ongoing design and content updates that are required, or maybe a change in direction that will help improve the game. It is great to partner up with the community, and at the end of the day, it’s the community and the players that will be playing the game, and we want their experience to be as enjoyable as possible. Where do you see Sumo Bengaluru five years down the line? I like to see Sumo Bengaluru become a success and expand and grow along with Sumo Pune and continue to be India’s leading game development studio. We also want to attract more people who will join us on this exciting journey.
ESPORTS
Is The Integration Of DMP In Esports Essential? A sneak-peak into the integration of DMP in esports and its effectiveness that will reap fruits for the Indian esports tournament scenario.
By Amarylisa Gonsalves
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s the use of technology advances, more and more data comes into the picture. Similarly, as businesses, organisations and industries scale greater heights, the amount of data accumulated by them also increases. We mean the information, statistics, and details about the various stakeholders and the components involved by data here. 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 as the saying goes, ‘the more, the merrier,’ the more data you have
at hand, the more benefits you can reap from it.
popularly known as DMP, comes into the picture.
What’s DMP? But while we say that, one thing that pops up is how do you store such 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 organised well. But, can companies solely store, process, manage and organise vast quantities of data along with focusing on their core businesses? Well, that’s where Data Management Platforms,
Data Management Platform is a software platform that can effectively gather as well as manage data. It can also analyse the data to help businesses make appropriate and effective use of it for a seamless decision-making process. It’s a known fact that esports is at a fast catching pace in India. Naturally, it generates tons of data every single day. Players, organisations, teams, team statistics, tournaments, matches, streams, and viewerships, are the some of the many sources where data is generated. So how about integrating DMP into esports?
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Why DMP in esports? DMP can significantly help manage and process the data into functional bits that can further promote and establish the industry. Sagar Nair, CoFounder 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 deploying a DMP platform, it can be used for multiple different use cases, both for the sport and the business.”
of such data, the fruitful results stakeholders can enjoy. 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 market-related data.”
A greater scope But it’s not only the games and businesses that will benefit, the players will also greatly benefit Qlan, which runs by the tagline from this consolidation. Keeping a ‘The Gamers’ Social Network,’ is a tab on one’s progress, competitors platform designed to establish a credible community for gamers and progress, the industry’s progress, the current standings are just some esports enthusiasts. The platform facilitates the various stakeholders of the benefits to the players. Apart from these, match results, player to connect, communicate, and get and squad performance tracking, recognised within the industry. in-game events, viewership Qlan enables gamers to sync their tracking, brand integrations are real-time match results with their some areas Nair believes will profiles so players can showcase enhance if DMP is integrated into their achievements, share gaming esports. content and more. One can imagine the amount and kind of The impact data Qlan is able to generate, and with the appropriate management To understand what impact DMP
Sagar Nair, Co-Founder of Qlan
will have on data processing in esports, we asked Nair to share his insights. He lists down the impact as well as the areas where DMP will make a difference. Nair says, “Tournament organisers will be able to execute better and improve the coverage of esports tournaments. It will help make sure that the results are more datadriven than human-controlled. Game publishers can better understand their consumers and the market demand and create products and offerings that better resonate with their audiences. The business around esports can benefit enormously, by establishing a better understanding of their audience, the brand placements and integrations can be tailormade to suit the consumer behaviour and preferences.” Looking at the endless benefits and opportunities of DMP, it is safe to say that it will open the door to various facets of esports. It won’t be long until we have DMP’s make their way into the esports arena and further strengthen the industry.
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ESPORTS
Mumbai Marshals: Reliving the victory at ESPL 2021 By Amarylisa Gonsalves
Jayesh Yadav aka ‘Mr. Jay’, Naitik Khoshto aka ‘OldMonk,’ Asjad Khateeb aka ‘Amadron’ and Indranil Saha, aka ‘FABINDRO’ with the ESPL 2021 trophy.
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T
he Esports Premier League (ESPL) 2021 finally drew its curtains amid much fanfare and buzz. The team that caught everyone’s attention and gloriously lifted the title at this flagship Free Fire tournament by India Today Gaming was the ‘Mumbai Marshals.’ Originally a TSM team, the Mumbai Marshals represented Mumbai at the first of its kind franchise-based esports tournament. We connected with this young and dynamic group’s captain to know the team’s insights about winning the tournament, the overall concept, and more. What Indranil Saha, aka ‘FABINDRO,’ the captain had to share was utterly delightful and wholesome! Read on to know about and relive the victory of the ESPL 2021 champions.
Indranil Saha, aka ‘FABINDRO’ IGL and Captain of the TSMFTX and Mumbai Marshals Free Fire team 36
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We were lucky enough to get picked to represent Mumbai and the people of Mumbai city. Tell us a little about your team. I am FabIndro, IGL and Captain of the TSMFTX and Mumbai Marshals Free Fire team. The team consists of Jay (Rusher), OldMonk (Rusher) and Amadron (Sniper). The team is famous for firepower and aggressive game style. Jay and Oldmonk are very well-known and highly regarded players in the Indian Free Fire community. TSM FTX has won several tournaments so far. But tell us, how did the team come together? We have been playing together as the current line-up for quite some time now, and when TSM FTX offered us the opportunity to play under their banner, it was an easy decision, to be honest. To get the opportunity to be a part of an international organisation like TSM and have such an amazing brand backing us up and providing us with top-notch facilities and bootcamp is definitely a big thing. Being a part of TSM has greatly helped us and me focus better on our game, and it has been one of the driving forces behind all our achievements lately. How did the name ‘Mumbai Marshals’ come up? The whole Mumbai Marshals thing, 2021
I would say, was a luck thing. So, ESPL had this very innovative initiative this year, where just like the IPL and ISL format, teams would represent different cities/ states in our country. It was all based on a lottery system, where each line-up would get picked up to represent one of many states. As I said, we were lucky enough to get picked to represent Mumbai and the people of Mumbai city. What was it like to win ESPL 2021? To an esports player, winning any tournament is a dream come true. To win a big event like ESPL 2021 with the whole nation watching was something I can’t put into words. Winning as a team at such a big event was one thing but winning it as ‘Mumbai Marshals,’ representing the whole city and its people, who have shown us immense support and love, is a moment my team and I will cherish forever. What was the team’s strategy against Bangalore Ballistics in the finals? Tell us a little about the finals match. Bangalore was definitely one of, if not the most challenging team in the league for sure. We had already
ESPORTS
lost to them once before we made it to the finals. So, we knew what we were up against, and we had prepared how to go about it. We decided we wouldn’t hold back and defend; instead, we would go all out offensive, our strong side. So, knowing that Bangalore’s playstyle was all offensive and they were weakest in the defensive area, we just utilised that to our advantage and were able to take the games back to back and win the tournament. Mumbai Marshals were one of the strongest teams right from the start. Which other teams did you all think were tough competitors? Like I mentioned earlier, definitely, Bangalore Ballistics was a team to look out for. We initially got
Winning ESPL 2021 has shown us where we stand as players and it has helped us to figure out what are our strengths and weakness and what is it that we need to work on. caught by surprise by their offensive and attacking gameplay, but we were able to turn the tables in our favour, where it mattered the most. Two more awards, the Most Valuable Player and Player of the tournament, also came to your
team. Tell us about that? Winning the tournament along with The Most Valuable Player for Jay and Player of the Tournament was just amazing. It finally felt like all our hard work and planning worked out well, and we were able to bring our A-game on the big stage. It’s definitely a big morale booster for our players and us to be recognised with these awards. What do you think about ESPL? Its format, its impact? ESPL is a massive event. I mean, the whole country was watching us. As an esports athlete, I know that India is still catching up to the west despite having having a vibrant gaming community. So yes, winning a big event like ESPL with national coverage is definitely a big step for our Free Fire community and esports scene. The format was exciting and fun, especially representing a city and its people; that’s an added responsibility. This was also the first time something of this sort has been implemented into the Free Fire space in India.
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ESPORTS
Has anything changed after winning ESPL 2021? Our trophy case has a new trophy in it. That’s the most significant change. On a serious note, winning ESPL 2021 has shown us where we stand as players in the ranking, and it has helped us figure out our strengths and weaknesses and what we need to work on. Yes, we are extremely happy about winning ESPL 2021, but the goal is always to keep pushing and reach the next achievement. The team was felicitated by Manish Sisodia, the Hon’ble Deputy CM of Delhi. What was it like? It was an incredible feeling. The event was a highlight for all of our careers - from being part of Mumbai Marshals to lifting the trophy in Dehli and being felicitated by Hon’ble Deputy CM of Delhi, Manish Sisodia. Other Sports ministers from various states had launched the franchise teams, Mumbai
I think one of the things missing from the esports scene in India is recognition from the government. Marshals got launched by Sunil Chhatrapal Kedar. What do you think about the encouragement from such notable personalities? Will it help the esports scene in India? Yes! This will help the esports scene in India. I think one of the things missing from the esports scene in India is recognition from the government. So more and more notable personalities supporting the scene will give the esports ecosystem a significant boost.
He even showed the video to his friends. It was a proud moment for me as I could make my father happy.
How did your family react when you won the ESPL 2021? Were they watching the match live? Yes, my dad watched the finals, and he was overjoyed at the result.
What are your thoughts on the esports scene in India? What improvements would you like to see? It’s impressive, but there is a lot of room for improvement. I think the Free Fire esports scene in India still has a lot of scope to grow. We are just witnessing its inception. The Free Fire scene and the community itself is heavily reliant on content.
Mumbai Marshals with Salil Kumar, CEO of India Today Group Digital and Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi. 38
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The finals received more than 100 million views. How does that feel? That’s great, and I congratulate the tournament organisers for the success of the event. Amassing 100 million views for a third party tournament is a significant step forward for Free Fire and Garena.
What is the team focussing on next? Right now, we are focusing on the Qualcomm events and of course, the Free Fire India Championship (FFIC) 2021.
FA N TA S Y S P O R T S
Tailgating the dangers of cybersecurity Mihir Sanchala, Assistant Vice President Technology, PlayerzPot on how the platform deals with cybersecurity and identity theft!
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antasy sports are online games where users bet on individual player performances rather than a team’s overall performance and compete against hundreds of other players in prize pools to overcome the odds. As sports betting continues to grow in popularity, users can make bets instantly on their smartphones. With millions of players and double the money involved, fantasy sports today is rife with risk. For a deeper understanding of risks, one must understand the source and nature of threats and how they can affect one’s financial stability. Fantasy sports platforms gather data on measures that can be put up against the threats and the impact of successful attacks to understand the risks better. Also, to understand this, we connected with Mihir Sanchala, Assistant Vice President Technology, PlayerzPot. Sanchala shared his insights on how the platform deals with cybersecurity and more. How does Playerzpot deal with Phishing? Phishing attacks are one of the most common security challenges faced by digital companies. For
By Akash Mishra this, at PlayerzPot, our strategy is to raise awareness amongst our employees and provide the latest tools to safeguard our systems. We host training sessions to make sure everyone in our team understands and is aware of the cause and effect of phishing techniques. We recently performed mock phishing scenarios where we used simulated phishing emails via third-party tools to assess our employees’ reactions. We use well-secured mail service for all internal email communication that already provides securities related to SPAM filtering, attachment virus scan, etc. In addition, we conduct regular checks on employees’ machines to ensure they have the latest security patches, OS updates, Antivirus solutions, etc. These are some of how we ensure PlayerzPot is CyberSAFE from phishing and spam attacks. Identity theft and heightened risk of criminal infiltration are the most significant threats looming over the fantasy sports platform. How is Playerzpot fixing the vulnerable spots amidst all the workings? Identity theft is something that can’t be detected quickly and
Mihir Sanchala, AVP Technology, PlayerzPot easily. After a few re-iterations, we developed a solid protection module against identity theft, including OTP-based logins, device details, geolocation, IPs, & number of failed attempts checks before initialising user sessions. We maintain users’ activity logs to find suspicious patterns during app usage and notify users on different channels to keep them updated on the account activities. Identity theft is also possible by session hijacking, where a hacker can take over an existing user’s access. For that, we use end to end encryption during communication between application and server.
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FA N TA S Y S P O R T S
Permissions are given to apps to track your contacts and location. Even good apps can go bad; what is being done to monitor what and how much access to the platforms have? Previously, users had no control over app permissions, but now users can control the information being shared from their device. In PlayerzPot, we ask for very few permissions in context, and that is also when the user starts to interact with the feature that requires it. We give the user liberty to continue using our app by disabling the feature that requires permission if they do not wish to share the asked details. As people are happily betting away on their favourite sportsperson, what defence mechanisms are put up by PlayerzPot if cybercriminals come to poke holes? PlayerzPot has stringent policies and protocols to check any violation of our Fair Play Policy. We have an in-house team of experts to watch over any suspicious activities. This team is always on the lookout and is prepared with a set of preventative strategies. We address the violations on priority and ensure necessary actions are taken like referred accounts deactivation, permanent account deactivation etc. Participation in fantasy sports has increased exponentially. That’s one big target on the backs of fantasy sports companies. Reports of fake sites being set up to draw some of that traffic. How do you deal with that? These attacks are severe and 40
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We give the user liberty to continue using our app by disabling the feature that requires permission if they do not wish to share the asked details. malicious, as it damages the authentication of our brands’ reputation. We, at PlayerzPot, execute our automated scripts frequently with all the predefined checks to find any fake sites with our brand name. Once our script triggers anything, we ensure taking the site off the internet entirely by sending cease and desist letters to the site admin or domain registrant. We also connect with the Google team and other search engines to get it deindexed so that it does not appear in search results. How does PlayerzPot prevent brute force attacks? Brute force attack relies on guessing possible combinations of a targeted password until the correct password is discovered. This is where a user’s alertness is very much required in various modes. However, still, as a company, we also need to protect against these kinds of attacks. To resolve this at our end, we at PlayerzPot have Two-factor authentication (2FA). This additional layer prevents anyone who has successfully obtained a user’s credentials from accessing their account without a secondary piece 2021
of authentication like One Time Password. We use Captcha to prevent bots and automated tools activities on our portal. We ensure a temporary ban of an IP from logging or accessing a portal after several failed login attempts. A successful cyber attack may cause mistrust and hinder financial development, especially if personal and financial data are damaged. To take full advantage of the benefits of new technologies in developing markets and increasing financial inclusion, we must maintain trust and ensure the security of information and communication technologies. There is always more to do regarding network security because the pace of change is impressive. In the age where technology rules every aspect, securing and keeping player data safe is of utmost importance. This is the only way online gaming platforms can gain the trust of their users and ultimately prosper in the long run.
RUMMY
Online Rummy: A Security Check A quick walk-through on why players need to choose the right platform to play rummy online so that their private data is safe and in the right hands.
By Amarylisa Gonsalves
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s everything from payments to classrooms moves to the digital form, so are our modes of entertainment. Even playing our favourite childhood summer games such as ludo, chess, carrom, and even rummy has become digital. But as the digitisation of things increases, so do the risks and threats of cyber-related concerns. Online rummy has become increasingly popular over the past few years. Several online rummy sites such as RummyCircle, Rummy Culture, and A23 Rummy have emerged in the online gaming industry in India. Unlike the traditional rummy games, which require a minimum number of players to play the game, online
rummy enables a player to play with other enthusiasts spread across geographically. In simpler words, you no longer require gathering a certain number of people to play rummy. You can play online even if you’re alone. All users have to do is register on the online rummy site and play. Privacy Matters Well, when we say ‘play online even if you’re alone, all you have to do is register on the online rummy site and play,’ it sounds simple, isn’t it? But is it really that simple? In the process of registering oneself on an online platform, 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: AsiaPacific Edition report, 65 % of Indian consumers expect full transparency from businesses on using their personal information. However, only 30 % of companies are moderately transparent with the use of personal information. The Online Rummy Federation (TORF), which acts as an apex body and a unified voice to guide and regulate the online rummy industry in India, laid down specific TORF standards to ensure the safety of players who indulge in online rummy. The Software Integrity and Internal Control Standards laid down by TORF states, “Some
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RUMMY
of the major safety concerns while playing online rummy are privacy, legitimacy and security. Hence, ensuring the authenticity of any online rummy portal is very important. TORF has identified and laid guidelines to follow safe rummy game-play practices and ensure that the websites are secure from any unauthorised internal or external access to the live game-play environment. The trustworthiness and authenticity of online rummy websites are critical and can be ascertained by using certified software. TORF ensures that all its accredited members rigorously adopt and follow the integrity and internal control measures as per TORF Standards.” As per this standard, all members of TORF are required to use certified software to avoid any unwanted and unauthorised actions intruding into the software. If the software is safe, the vulnerability of the player data and the platform data automatically reduces. The operators also internally examine the data and make sure it is well encrypted while stored on their servers. The data is also safely processed to avoid any unofficial access, modification or leaks. Players need to choose the right platform to play rummy online so that their private data is safe and in the right hands. Also, players should be careful about not sharing their login details with others to avoid any harm to their details. Why KYC? Additionally, the user verification standard states, “User Verification 42
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process is a process that rummy operators use to verify the identity of the players. The main objective of the user verification process 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 platform for unlawful activities, thus building the users’ trust. 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 uses reasonable means, if the players resort to unfair means, the whole experience of playing online is distorted. To address this, TORF 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, TORF has established stringent guidelines, as well as actions to be taken against violating players.” Thus the members of TORF are expected to lay down strict rules and take the required action if any player is found using such foul means. 2021
All said and done, one cannot simply ignore the fact that no matter how many or how much a platform or player strives for a safe and smooth playing experience, some unforeseen situations are bound to arise. For this, the operators need to have reliable and fast customer complaint redressal measures in place. End of the day! Playing online can invite some risks, but these risks are avoidable. The rapidly progressing technology is continually coming up with appropriate measures and means to combat the loopholes. Players can play online rummy stress-free by being vigilant and taking a little care while playing. The most important of them is choosing the right platform. Look for a platform that actively assists players when needed, takes appropriate measures for data protection, offers a secure online environment, adheres to ethical and responsible marketing and encourages players to play responsibly.
10 THINGS
10 Things About Cybersecurity
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A Clark School study at the University of Maryland suggested that hackers attack every 39 seconds on average.
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93% of breaches could be avoided by simply updating software or leveraging modern cloud-based solutions.
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Hacktivism is defined as the subversive use of computers and systems to promote a political agenda or social change.
In 2016, cyber incidents cost the global economy more than $450 billion.
As per a 2021 survey, 74% of the respondents stated that the top objective of AI and ML application in cybersecurity was threat detection.
In 2020, India was amongst the top five countries with the most number of cyber security incidents.
By 2026, the global cybersecurity market size is expected to hit the $345.4 billion mark.
Over 1.1 billion records of India’s national ID database Aadhaar was lost in early 2018.
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More than 1.1 million cyber attacks were reported across India in 2020.
At least 1 billion accounts of Yahoo users were hacked in 2013.
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