Taj Rummy: A Brand with a Mission

Taj Rummy:

A Brand With A Mission

WORDS BY DONNA AMO

Despite rummy being one of the fastest-growing verticals in the online gaming sector, questions about its legalization still plague the industry. Common misconceptions about the game have led to some states banning the online version of the game. Due to this, various brands are doing their bit to help change public opinion. SBC Digital India was the most recent online exhibition and conference that aimed to bring a better understanding of the real money gaming industry to the masses.

Taj Rummy, one of the leading rummy brands in the country, was the title sponsor for the event. A flagship of the Grid Logic Group, it is known for its seamless user experience and is a well-known entity in a variety of gaming conferences. We approached Pariekshit Maadishetti, Managing Director of Grid Logic Group, to tell us a bit more about the brand and its efforts towards helping the online rummy sector to become a regulated market.

What was the idea behind launching Taj Rummy? We were looking to expand as a business and though we had our back office in India, we never knew an opportunity like this existed back in 2012 while we were running our UK business. The rise of skill games and our presence here at the same time made this venture possible.

Taj Rummy was the title sponsor for SBC Digital India. What made you interested in this association? We usually are the title sponsors for all the gaming shows in India which support our industry. You can take GaTo by IAMAI or SPiCE by Eventus–we are committed to help and support everyone to see India on a regulated stage.

The Supreme Court of India has recognised rummy as a game of skill, and yet certain states have banned it. Your comment. This comes as a recognition that we exist, and we are contributing to taxes, employment, and a regulated environment for which are all doing our bit. Instead of banning it, if they can regulate it then a lot better can happen. All the federations are trying to represent and we are praying that India will understand the merit of regulation. How do you see the rummy industry progressing despite the legal setbacks? The industry is growing, and it will continue to grow. We may not show as much of the CAGR as before but there will be growth.

What are your future plans for Taj Rummy? We are more of a technology provider who run the B2C businesses with passion and an intention to give back to the player community. We will continue to build great products which help our clientele.

One big thing we are trying to do next is to build Open Gaming APIs which will break the entry barrier further and make it easy for anyone to enter the business at an affordable cost. I can see us travelling towards a transparent GaaS (Gaming as a Service) model.

The road is long for the legalization of rummy in India, but despite the many challenges, there is still hope. With more brands like Taj Rummy continuing to put their efforts in showcasing the real money gaming (RMG) industry in a positive light, the industry could see more legal doors opening up in the future.