Monday, November 11, 2024

Taboo to trend: Poker’s rise as an entertainment

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The charm of card games has permeated Indian history, from the luxurious palaces of the Mughals to the British colonial salons. In the current period, poker unites a wide group of aficionados across generations, from seasoned players to younger, tech-savvy players.
This tour follows the development of Indian poker—a blend of local customs, cultural influences, and the ageless excitement of the game that captivates players throughout the Indian subcontinent and beyond.

HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT:
The history of Teen Patti, also known as Indian poker, may be traced back to Indian traditional card games and contemporary art movements. It has long been a part of Indian gaming culture, despite the lack of exact documentation on its exact roots. Games such as Ganjifa, with its elaborate card designs, were played widely throughout the Indian Empire. These conventional card games were the basis for Teen Patti’s creation. Card games are highly valued as creative creations in Indian culture, and they are often played during fests, carnivals, and social gatherings. They not only provide entertainment but also encourage neighbourhood bonding and social trade.
European traders and colonists brought card games like poker to India during the colonial era. These games combined with traditional Indian card games to create hybrid versions. Regional varieties emerged as a result of vast cultural terrain; each region came up with its own set of rules, unique gaming elements, and local names for the game. The core ideas, however, were the same everywhere, even with these variations.
It has undergone additional development with the introduction of smartphone apps and internet gaming platforms. The game is now more playable by a wider audience thanks to this modernisation, both in India and among Indians living abroad. Its continued importance in modern gaming culture can be attributed in part to the success of these physical and online competitions.

RISE OF POKER
The history of poker has been intriguing, influenced by a variety of elements including foreign influences, technological improvements, and cultural changes. This is a summary of how poker has become more popular in India:

Cultural acceptance: Because of social shame and legal constraints, gambling has historically been seen with suspicion in Indian society. But attitudes have changed over time, and card games are now commonly acknowledged as entertainment, particularly at social events and festivals. The foundation for poker’s acceptance as a recreational sport was created by this tolerance to other cultures.

Exposure and globalisation: Indian viewers were introduced to televised poker events and international poker tournaments with the introduction of satellite television and the internet. The competitive and strategic aspects of the game piqued the interest of Indian aficionados, who became interested after seeing this exposure.

Worldwide achievement: The success of Indian poker players on the global poker scene has stoked interest in the game even further. Prominent results in major poker competitions like the Asian Poker Tour (APT) and the World Series of Poker (WSOP) have drawn notice and motivated prospective Indian players. The World Series of Poker, or WSOP for short, is one of the most prominent and eagerly awaited poker events. Since its founding in 1970, the World Series of Poker has grown from a single tournament to a network of tournaments featuring a variety of poker games and drawing players from all over the world to fight for highly sought-after championship bracelets and large cash prizes. Aayush Arya just accomplished a significant milestone when he obtained a WSOP bracelet, being the sixth Indian to do so. Arya’s victory came in the WSOP Online Event #22: $400 COLOSSUS. Out of a field of 10,812 players, he prevailed, taking home a noteworthy prize and bolstering India’s burgeoning profile in the global poker scene!

Online apps: Custom industry insights projects that the online poker industry would grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 16.9% from 2023 to 2030. Forecasts suggest that the market, estimated to be worth US$ 115.1 billion in 2023, would grow rapidly to US$ 346 billion by 2030. According to results from a LocalCircles study, over 65% of participants, or 9,507 in total, believe that online fantasy sports are similar to games of chance and therefore involve financial hazards. Furthermore, the poll revealed that 74 percent of the 12,602 participants believed that the maximum amount that might be lost in an online or fantasy gaming session should fall between Rs. 50 and Rs. 1,000.
Legalisation of poker in India
Most states in the nation have granted legal status to online poker. There are a few outliers, though, including Gujarat, Assam, and Orissa, where questions have been raised about the legality of poker—both offline and online—due to the precise phrasing employed in state laws. The Public Gambling Act of 1867, which is applicable throughout India, forbids the running of “public gaming houses” and even the presence of such businesses, with criminal penalties for both offenses, according to ipleaseders blog. But within this regulatory environment, there is a crucial distinction that needs to be made between games of skill and games of chance, which is a fundamental feature of modern poker-playing laws.

Poker player Maria.K states that throughout the last ten years, poker has become increasingly popular in India, with a noteworthy rise in the number of female players. “Notwithstanding this progress, the industry is facing a number of obstacles that prevent it from expanding further. The widespread belief that poker is a game of luck rather than skill is one of the main barriers. The All India Gaming Federation (AIGF), among other organisations, is actively educating stakeholders about the skill-based element of poker. But it will take time and deliberate work to shift deeply ingrained attitudes, particularly in a nation where poker is still relatively new. It is anticipated that the emergence of online gaming platforms will completely transform India’s poker culture. Because it’s so simple to access different poker sites, more people are playing the game and it’s getting more popular. Greater representation on the international poker scene is anticipated as a result of this enhanced accessibility, which is expected to encourage the growth of the professional poker community.”
“The implementation of a 28% GST across all real money gaming (RMG) platforms has significantly burdened players, leading to increased charges from 10% to 15%,” states Rajat Agarwal, CEO of Poker Guru. “As a result, participants have seen lower profits, and the market has contracted, forcing several players and startups to close. The sector urgently has to consolidate in the face of these obstacles, and corporate executives should be tasked with leading the market. Uncertainty has been increased, nevertheless, by the vagueness surrounding indirect legislation and the sluggishness of government action. Notwithstanding these challenges, the post-pandemic poker market experienced notable expansion, driven by the increased demand for recreational pursuits amid lockdowns. I have worked in the poker industry for fifteen years, and in that time I have seen the game in India grow from thirty people competing in Goa tournaments to hundreds of players playing in both domestic and international events. India’s enormous population and the success of its poker players in international events highlight the game’s enormous potential for development and acceptance in the country.”

Another poker player Vinayak Bajaj states, “It’s a game of skill, but it’s still taboo in India due to societal stigma. Despite the fact that poker is a strategy game akin to chess, many perceive it as gambling because it incorporates cards. As we look to the future of poker, we’ve seen a significant increase in engagement, with new players consistently coming, which suggests a growing interest. But government rules—especially the new Goods and Services Tax law—have hampered the industry’s expansion and altered its course considerably. The government lumps together games of chance and skill without making a distinction between them. The games will prosper the moment the government begins to subsidise them.”

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