Would help eradicate the pain
points, weed out unscrupulous players and create uniformity ensuring a fair,
transparent, secure and responsible environment for players.
With states having their own laws
governing gaming, there is much ambiguity in interpretation of the law. Many of
the skill gaming sites operate with models derived from countries where online
skill gaming is legal. As with all new technology innovations, regulations are
not clearly defined, resulting in varying interpretations and enforcement.
. This ambiguity has resulted in some
states banning the online skill gaming sites, while in some states they are
operating legally.
Given this situation, The Online
Rummy Federation (TORF) was set up by the online rummy game operators to create
a level playing field and standardise regulations for the entire online rummy
skill gaming sector. However being a voluntary organization has its limitation
and so TORF has repeatedly request that regulations be bought in to regulate
this sector.
Regulation would protect players
and also generate meaningful revenues for the state. TORF has worked over the
last two years to set up a self-regulatory framework in the form of a Code of
Conduct based on similar regulatory frameworks in regulated markets
internationally. Operators, who cater to
over 80% of all players, currently follow this code of conduct and are audited
for it by one of the big 4 auditing firms. We strongly feel that the state
governments should regulate this sector to ensure only legitimate, legal
operators who follow strict protocols are allowed to operate and a clear
distinction drawn from those who try and operate above the law.
TORF has recommended the government
to set up a joint committee to explore the possibility of setting up a
licensing regime to regulate the gaming sector as a whole and the Skill gaming
Sector in particular.
In India, the skill gaming
industry has a huge potential. Nationwide, online skill gaming has an estimated
300 million players of whom 60-80 millions play rummy. Largely driven by
smart-phones and affordable data, the sector's rapid growth is expected to
boost the total media and entertainment industry by 4% to 5%.
The federation is keen to work
with the government to evolve a regulatory mechanism, which will be beneficial
to all. Self-regulation is already embedded in the current system to ensure
that the player experience is fair and transparent. For example, underage
players are not allowed, there is a limit for players and KYC and SSL
encryptions are integrated in all accredited sites.
Niti Aayog has also pitched for
setting up a single self-regulatory organisation for the online fantasy sports
industry to be governed by the independent oversight board and also had
suggested restricting online fantasy games to users of 18 years and above, in a
paper it published.
Mr Sameer Barde, CEO - TORF said that “The skill gaming industry wants to contribute to the government's
pro-growth vision, and to provide a healthy and responsible form of
entertainment for the people. The Indian gaming sector has tremendous
potential, and has attracted several
marquee investors who have supported the development of the overall market .A
common self-regulatory body will result in the removal of a lot of uncertainty
for foreign investors, spur foreign investment to the tune of a few billion
dollars, and drive innovation, employment and taxes”.
With this clarity in law there is
a chance of significant foreign investment coming into the skill gaming space
which is generating over Rs. 1,500 crores in GST revenue every year and has the
potential to generate over Rs. 10,000 crores in GST revenues by 2025This
ambiguity in law sends a mixed signal to potential foreign investors, those who
have already invested in the skill gaming space in India, and care deeply about
a stable regulatory environment.
India is one of the top five
mobile gaming markets in the world, with a 13% share of global game sessions,
and is expected to add 40 million online gamers during 2020−22.The online
gaming industry is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of
40% to $2.8 billion by 2022, up from $1.1 billion in 2019, according to a
Deloitte India report. The gaming industry also employs over 70,000 highly
qualified technologists, design, and product development resources, and there
are many more that are indirectly dependent on the online gaming industry. The
findings of the study highlighted that covid-19 has pushed the growth further
as users latched on to online gaming platforms in absence of entertainment
options during lockdown. The time spent on skill gaming apps, increased by 21%
during the initial national lockdown, with the total customer base crossing 300
million users.
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About TORF: The Online Rummy
Federation (TORF) is a not-for-profit society established under the Societies
Registration Act, to guide and support the online rummy industry in providing
sustainable and healthy entertainment to players across India. TORF follows a
strict Code of Conduct that not only ensures prescription of operating
standards but also carries out an audit process with the assistance of
independent auditors to ensure that online rummy operators maintain strict
compliance to the approved standards.
The
Online Rummy Federation’s (TORF) vision is to build a comprehensive
self-regulatory ecosystem for online rummy - a game of skill, leading to a
responsible industry, protecting player interests and offering a sustainable
and healthy entertainment option to players across India. TORF’s mission is to
make the online rummy industry more credible and transparent, to provide
wholesome entertainment and an ethical gaming experience to players.
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