Poll: Is India a growth opportunity for operators in 2017?

 India has long appeared an attractive market for egaming operators given its giant population and sports fanaticism, but anti-gambling laws have kept international operators largely at bay.

But the tide appears to be turning after PokerStars announced late last year it intended to launch in India “as soon as Q1 or Q2 2017”, with the company predicting a market of between $80m and $150m annually.

“India is a greater opportunity if you are looking at the player base,” said Amaya CEO Rafi Ashkenazi at the time.

The Amaya owned-brand will join Microgaming as a major international poker operator active in India, and according to George Oborne, managing director at India Bet, the two have sparked a “race to market” among local and global firms.

“We can expect local, start-up sites to emerge alongside more established, Microgaming-supported brands,” Oborne said.

Real-money poker is relatively widespread in India with explicit advertising and European firms like Microgaming active in the market.

However, it is not yet “fully white” according to Oborne, with the courts yet to rubber stamp the activity as a legal game of skill.

The same game of skill designation also applies to daily fantasy sports, with several operators, including the UK-licensed Oulala, taking their real-money platforms to the subcontinent.

Operators are particularly encouraged by increasing internet penetration, with 314 million Indians now having access to mobile internet.

And there’s also the possibility of sports betting in the future, as the country examines how to deal with a reported $150bn black market.

The chairman of the Law Commission of India confirmed in December that the commission is “examining all legal aspects of betting in sports” after the Supreme Court recommended the activity be legalised.

However there are also significant hurdles to be overcome. Firstly, the market is so unique that local partners are vital for success and first-movers like Microgaming may have already secured a major headstart.

Secondly, as already noted, the legality of poker and DFS has yet to be confirmed by the courts and firms could be wary of US-style reaction where law enforcement clamps down on operators once they get established.

With that said, we want to know your thoughts. Should operators be looking to take advantage of a major ‘blue ocean’ opportunity, or should they wait for more clarity on the regulatory environment before plunging into the unknown?

Have your say here.