Another eventful and thrilling year just ended. The overall business sentiment of the country saw a positive uptick, and while mainstream sectors continued their steady march, niche sectors driven by India’s burgeoning startup space grew manifold. One such sector is the online poker industry, falling under the online gaming umbrella. Poker, like every other evolving industry, has truly embraced the digital medium. With several entities enthusiastically exploring and investing in the online poker space, the true potential of the sector is expected to be unlocked in the coming years, starting 2018. 2017 has been rather positive for the poker industry, from poker leagues to value-driven collaborations and honouring of the industry through India’s first ever poker awards.
There are several factors that have contributed to the overall positioning, popularity, reach and solidification of online poker in India. The number of live online poker tournaments and games has increased by leaps and bounds, and agrowth rate of 30% this year has given the industry a vital boost. The year 2017 began with the launch of Poker Sports League, creating buzz as the newest sports league aiming to revolutionize and “sport-ify” the card game by bringing it to the masses. Another poker league that made headlines this year was the Match Indian Poker League. The winner of this league will be representing India at the Match Poker World Club in England in 2018. Recognizing the emerging talent in the industry, India’s first ever poker awards property, India Poker Awards, was held in Bangalore this year, with top poker players across the country congregating under one roof. As the year moved along, online poker tournaments and its increasing popularity in the poker scene kept getting bigger and better with guaranteed prizes and lakhs to play for. From small towns to metros, players across the country showcased their poker skills this year by putting their best feet forward.
