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Business Standard
13 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Real-money gaming dealt a losing hand as crackdown follows ₹20,000 cr blow
Mounting social concerns and an estimated ₹20,000 crore loss by nearly 450 million people due to frauds in real-money gaming (RMG) have pushed the Centre to impose a blanket ban on the sector. The decision comes amid alarm over opaque algorithms, user addiction, and widespread financial distress linked to games such as rummy, poker, and fantasy sports. The ban not only ends the long-standing debate over whether skill-based or chance-based games can operate in India but also overrides the patchwork of state-level rules on regulating or prohibiting the sector. Experts and industry players warn that the move could backfire by driving users towards unregulated offshore betting platforms. 'Government needs to reconsider and take a more calibrated stance, as prohibition has never worked. This Bill will bring back the satta market with a vengeance. Blanket bans drive users to unregulated platforms rather than protecting them. Instead of reducing harm, prohibitions create black markets that are harder to regulate and far riskier for users,' said Abhay Raj Mishra, president and national convenor of Public Response Against Helplessness & Action for Addressal (PRAHAR). PRAHAR's July 2024 survey of 2,500 gamers in Telangana, where RMG has been banned for eight years, found more than 94 per cent of players still accessing offshore or illicit apps through virtual private networks, Telegram groups, or sideloaded platforms. Industry executives also flagged the dominance of offshore operators, who already control nearly 80 per cent of the RMG market and run operations from tax havens such as Malta, Curaçao, and the British Virgin Islands. 'We continued to absorb high tax costs to keep users engaged. But if costs are passed on, users will simply migrate to untaxed offshore platforms,' said one senior executive. The ban comes even as the sector was reeling under a 28 per cent goods and services tax (GST) imposed in October 2023. More than 400 companies employ 200,000 people in the sector, estimates show. Major players include Dream11, Games24x7, Junglee Games, MPL, Zupee, Gameskraft, Head Digital Works, and Nazara Technologies. The decision has jolted the industry, which until recently was preparing for the impact of a steeper tax rate on margins. 'What has surprised the industry is that the Bill has been tabled without any consultation. We were not aware of this Bill until Tuesday,' said another senior executive. Founders and executives told Business Standard they were questioning the Centre's intent behind a blanket prohibition, especially after years of contributing through taxes, compliances, and outreach. They pointed out that the move came just days after rumours of a higher 40 per cent goods and services tax (GST) slab, categorising gaming as a 'sin' commodity — something they had already deemed unsustainable. 'Why was there revised GST chatter when the sector was supposed to be killed?' asked the founder of an RMG company. A joint report by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, the Interactive Entertainment & Innovation Council, and WinZO said the Indian exchequer loses $2.5 billion annually in tax revenues due to user migration to offshore companies. 'From an economic perspective, the prohibition is likely to hurt an industry that contributes heavily to GST collections and employment, while simultaneously driving users to offshore, unregulated platforms,' said Navod Prasannan, partner, King Stubb & Kasiva, Advocates & Attorneys. Between 2022 and 2024, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued blocking directions to 692 gambling and betting websites and apps. 'We acknowledge the government's decision to ban RMG and respect that this step has been taken after careful consideration of the social and regulatory concerns associated with the sector. As responsible stakeholders, we recognise the government's priority to safeguard consumer interests, prevent harm, and ensure that innovation aligns with national well-being,' said Shweta Rajpal Kohli, president and chief executive officer (CEO), Startup Policy Forum. Casual games level up? The Bill proposes recognition for e-sports where games do not involve wagering and rely on factors such as mental agility or strategic thinking. Currently, categories such as casual, midcore, or AAA-rated games depend on advertising or in-app purchases for revenue. A void in the RMG space may steer users towards e-sports, with the sector welcoming the Centre's decision. 'I welcome the Centre's decision to prohibit RMG and establish a strong regulatory framework. Too many young lives were being lost to addiction and debt. This decisive step safeguards our youth while unlocking the future of Indian gaming, driven by original intellectual property (IP), creativity, and Make in India games,' said Vishal Gondal, cofounder of nCore Games. Ecosystem participants added that the move is expected to drive stronger IP development in the country. 'We applaud this decision, as it allows us to focus on the real concerns as a business — monetisation, retention, and most importantly, building great IP for India and the world, rather than having to explain to our audiences what we are to begin with,' said Sumit Batheja, CEO and cofounder of Ginger Games.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
How Indian affiliates earn and scale with 1xPartners
The 1xPartners affiliate program by 1xBet brings together people from diverse backgrounds, all united by a common goal — growth in digital marketing. In this article, three partners from India share their path and formula for success. Shubham: from hosting industry to 100,000 FTD Shubham has over 7 years of experience in digital marketing. Recently, his 8-person team shifted its focus from hosting to the gambling niche, especially working with 1xPartners. 'Honestly, I see myself working with this affiliate program for years to come. Reliable payouts, dedicated manager support, and the strength of the brand give me the confidence to keep scaling,' he shares. Using SEO, targeted video content, and paid campaigns on Telegram, Shubham achieved 3x revenue growth in his first year — and now aims to reach 100,000 FTDs by the next IPL season. However, not everything went smoothly at the beginning. 'My first mistake was choosing the wrong niche. There was traffic, but there were almost no conversions,' Shubham recalls. He initially focused on the Tamil Nadu League, confident that the regional tournament would attract Indian fans. He also noticed that many colleagues from competing affiliate programs were targeting this league as well. The situation changed when the 1xPartners manager promptly shared analytics and advised on other events with higher conversion potential. Shubham rebuilt the strategy, and the transition yielded profits even during the off-season. "Now I always listen to the recommendations from 1xPartners managers. Their expertise and analytics help me make decisions that work," he concludes. Shubham's team is currently preparing to launch a cricket fan page and is actively testing social media, push notifications, and gamified activations. Rahul: from experiment to serious business Rahul didn't plan on becoming a long-term 1xPartners affiliate — it all started as a YouTube experiment in 2021. Today, it is his primary source of income. "I started for fun, and now it is my main job. I am also preparing to launch my project, a pilot content platform," he says. Working alone, Rahul focuses on YouTube and Telegram, using a simple yet effective combination: useful content, promos, and contextual links. Rahul's videos explain how a particular product feature works, cover promo rules, and answer subscribers' questions. In addition to cricket events, he also reviews games such as Chicken Road, Aviator, JetX, and Crazy Time, which are rapidly gaining popularity in India. His approach combines an educational format with an entertaining one, making his videos appealing to both beginners and experienced players. Over the past five years, his income has increased by 35%, and he has learned to avoid common mistakes, such as placing links without context, neglecting local niche regulations, skipping testing, and being impatient at the outset. His future focus is to expand geographically, try new formats, collaborate with influencers, automate processes, and develop a sustainable, multi-channel system. Kumar: it is more than just sharing a link Specialising only in YouTube, 25-year-old Kumar and his three like-minded teammates have achieved a 50% increase in affiliate marketing income with 1xPartners over the past three years. According to him, the key advantages of working with 1xPartners include strong brand trust backed by famous ambassadors, a user-friendly interface, fair weekly payouts, and large-scale promos, which greatly facilitate audience attraction. He also highlights the support from managers who assist with content creation, enabling his team to concentrate more on audience engagement rather than technical details. Kumar's philosophy is to give users more than just a link. 'You need to work not just for money. Always stay consistent and deliver value to your customers; that's what builds trust,' he says. Kumar began with videos on how to register and claim a welcome bonus, then moved on to tutorials on event selection, market understanding, and working with analytics. This approach helped him find an audience that values his practical advice and honest attitude. Kumar's immediate plans include adding live streams and gamified elements to boost audience engagement. Secret to shared success The experience shows that success in affiliate marketing starts with the right partner. 1xPartners can boast: trust in the 1xBet brand, which has been well-known in India since 2016 and is backed by famous ambassadors, as well as large-scale marketing campaigns. transparent program and stable payouts - weekly, on time, with the option to withdraw earnings after just four referred players. professional support from managers who assist with content, analytics, and traffic strategy. flexible monetisation - from sporting events to games and promos. Brand trust works in your favour, attracting audiences and making traffic acquisition easier. Meanwhile, the numbers speak for themselves: last week, the highest RS-model payout reached $36,996.76 — earned by just one partner in a single week. 1xPartners is where stability, transparency, and growth go hand in hand. About 1xBet 1xBet is a globally recognised bookmaker with 18 years in the betting industry. The brand's customers can place bets on thousands of sporting events, with the company's website and app available in 70 languages. The official partner list of 1xBet includes FC Barcelona, LOSC Lille, La Liga, Serie A, European Cricket Network, Durban's Super Giants, and other renowned sports brands and organisations. The company's ambassadors in India are famous cricketer Heinrich Klaasen and actress Urvashi Rautela. The company has repeatedly been a nominee and recipient of prestigious professional honours such as IGA, SBC, G2E Asia, and EGR Nordics Awards.
Mint
4 hours ago
- Mint
Nifty 50 reclaims 25,000 after nearly a month: Can bulls drive the index to 25,250?
Indian stock market stayed higher for the fifth straight session on Wednesday, as expectations of a proposed cut in GST rates across key categories boosted hopes of a demand recovery in the economy, continuing to support the rally on Dalal Street even as the deadline for an additional 25% US tariff hike fast approaches. The five-day rally also helped the Nifty 50 reclaim the psychological 25,000 mark, closing at 25,050, gaining 0.23% The index was last seen at this level on July 24, 2025. It first crossed the 25,000 mark in August 2024 and later scaled 26,000 to register an all-time high of 26,277. The muted performance of India Inc. in the June quarter, which failed to justify expensive valuations, coupled with heavy selling by overseas investors, had earlier dragged the index lower. Weakening trade relations with the US, after Washington imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods, further pressured domestic equities. However, steady inflows from domestic institutional investors limited the downside and helped the index recover from a three-month low earlier this month. Amid concerns that higher tariffs could hurt economic growth, the government's proposal to cut GST on major items lifted investor sentiment, triggering a fresh wave of buying, allowing the index to comfortably hold above all its key moving averages. According to Rupak De, Senior Technical Analyst at LKP Securities, Nifty 50 witnessed a largely positive session, closing above the 25,000 mark. He noted that sentiment is likely to favour the bulls, as the index has sustained above the 21 EMA for the past three sessions, with put writers outnumbering call writers for the first time in several days. He expects the index to remain a 'buy on dips' as long as it holds above 24,800, while resistance is seen at 25,250, above which gains could extend towards 25,500. Echoing a positive outlook, Hardik Matalia, Derivative Analyst at Choice Equity Broking, pointed out that Nifty is now comfortably holding above all its key moving averages, reflecting a firm underlying trend. On the downside, he highlighted immediate support at 25,000, followed by 24,800, while resistance lies at 25,100 and 25,200. On the derivatives front, he added that the highest Call Open Interest is concentrated at the 25,100 and 25,200 strikes, indicating key resistance zones, while the highest Put Open Interest is at 25,000 and 24,900, suggesting strong support levels. This setup implies that the 25,000–25,100 range will be crucial for Nifty's near-term movement, with a breakout on either side likely to dictate the next directional trend. Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
