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 continuously expanding. 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 a growth rate of 30% this year has given the industry a vital boost. It’s clear that this
game is here to stay. It’s clear that with initiatives like the Poker Sports League creating buzz
as the newest sports league aiming to revolutionize the card game and bring it to the masses.
Another important poker league is the Match Indian Poker League. The winner of this league
will be representing India at the Match Poker World Club in England. 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.
The ever-growing number of online poker players is statement enough to the incredible
popularity the sport has seen over the last couple of years. The current statistics say that there
are more than two lakh active poker players in India. Metros such as Bangalore, Kolkata and
Ahmedabad have started to embrace online poker to an extent that the opening of new poker
clubs is expected every month from here on. It is seen as mostly an educated, or sophisticated
sport.
However despite the success, there always a scepticism when it comes to poker. Many people
perceive it as a fraudulent, with gambling itself given a bad image in Indian society. Just like
any other upcoming industry, online poker has its set of unique challenges, especially when it
comes to Indian society. Introducing the idea of online poker was a challenge due to how it
has been represented to the people. Convincing users about the reliability of taking the game
of poker online was a challenge in itself, and to get them to invest money was another layer
to this challenge, which seems to have been overcome today.
The only real issue with poker here today is the legal ambiguity which exists with real money
online poker. It all boils down to whether Poker is a game of chance or a game of skill.
Although most player would advocate that poker is all skill, the legal system tends to disagree
in certain cases. However it does look a little more promising in India, as some states have
included online poker in their local gambling laws, such as in West Bengal and Nagaland
which allow these games to be played and operated under a license. However, only Nagaland
has clearly defined that online poker is a game of skill. The absence of a consensus of this
issue is a slight hindrance for the industry. However the overriding popularity of the game
makes it clear that online poker is here for the long haul.