Poll results: Operators reluctant to follow PokerStars into India in 2017
Despite its 1.2 billion population, a majority of poll respondents fail to see the region as an immediate opportunity for growth
India will not be a growth opportunity for operators in 2017, according to a majority of respondents to this week’s poll.
Despite its substantial population, sports fanaticism and PokerStars announcing plans to launch in the region later this year, an overwhelming 72% were reluctant to consider India as an immediate area for growth.
The legality of real-money gambling is perhaps proving a stumbling block for operators from entering the market.
Real-money poker is relatively widespread in India with explicit advertising and a number of high-profile European companies already active in the market.
However, it is not yet “fully white” according to India Bet managing director George Oborne, with the courts yet to rubber-stamp the activity as a legal game of skill.
The country is also examining the possibility of regulating sports betting in the future after the Supreme Court recommended the activity be legalised.
However, this week’s poll results suggest 2017 will be too soon for international operators to make the plunge into the unknown and will await further clarity on the regulatory environment.