Increased internet and smartphone penetration and increased marketing in tier 2/3 cities will prove to be the defining catalyst which will get more gamers in the fold.
Q1. How did the idea of starting an online poker platform conceptualize? What was the effect of COVID-19 in the online gaming industry?
I learned poker on business trips to the US and Canada in 2012 and was intrigued by the interplay of skill and psychology offered by this game. A chance meeting with Govind, Co-founder at RV Online during Poker home games led to a mutual realization about dearth of quality poker platforms in India.
Since, we both shared a strong passion for the game, inevitably, our discussions germinated into a plan to create a world class poker gaming platform for the Indian audience.
The implementation of nationwide lockdown has accelerated the transition to the digital way of life and that has also reflected in our industry where we can witness a substantial increase in the acquisition of new players and average time spent on our app.
Q2. How predominant is online gaming in tier 2 and 3 cities when compared to tier 1 cities? Why is there a difference?
While Poker seems to be mostly popular in Tier 1 cities for now, we foresee a surge in gamers from Tier 2 and 3 cities in the very near future.
By 2022, India is expected to have 510 million online gamers, up from 365 million in 2020 and smaller cities will contribute heavily to this accelerating trend.
Increased internet and smartphone penetration and increased marketing in tier 2/3 cities will prove to be the defining catalyst which will get more gamers in the fold.
Q3. What were the challenges you faced while establishing yourself as an online gaming platform? How did you overcome them?
The false equivalence and association of Poker to Gambling is a major mental barrier we are trying to overcome. Poker is an intellectually stimulating sport which goes a long way in sharpening a player’s cognitive skills. It is therefore no surprise that many well-known wall-street giants also have an affinity towards playing poker.
Our advertising campaigns are trying hard to break this barrier and we have seen success in terms of our ever-growing players’ base.
We are also keeping a close eye on the proposed regulatory framework for e-gaming in India. Since, we fall under the category of skill-based games, any proposed regulatory changes will not have a major impact on us.
Q4. How do you stand out from your rival companies/ what makes you different?
Since, we are veterans of the game ourselves, we understand our target audience really well and have designed our app keeping the end user in mind
We can proudly claim that our app’s user interface and user experience is one of the best in the country. Some of the unique features offered by our app are
· Personalized animated emojis
· Ability to host a private table
· Head up Display option
Our proactive customer support approach is also unrivaled in the market.
Q5. What can be said about India becoming the AR and VR hub in the upcoming years? What are your strategies for Poker Magnet to incorporate AR and VR?
We can observe a multitude of AR and VR startups coming out of India and can see that many of them will end up competing at the global stage.
Poker Magnet is a forward-looking organization actively seeking to embrace new technologies which can offer a superlative experience to our customers. In the same regard we are exploring partnership with startups who are at the forefront of AR and VR revolution and our players can expect to play on immersive experiences in the near future.
Q6. What would be your advice for upcoming entrepreneurs in the gaming field?
The ability to take risks, the willingness to fail and the ability to persevere will take you on a long runway to success.
Source: Business World
