Western-style operators of popular online games are seeing a myriad of challenges as they venture into the vastly untapped Asian shores, particularly in the online casino India market where a profound understanding of the desi culture and gambling habits is crucial.
Casino Classics Enjoy Popularity In Digital-Friendly India
India has its all-time favorite card games like Andar Bahar, Rummy, and Teen Patti, to name a few. However, games that are considered to be classics on the casino floor are now enjoying robust popularity among online gambling players in the country. In fact, Western-style games including roulette, blackjack, and slots are now more noticeable in the online space, as noted by ENV Media analysts in their latest report, “India acquires a taste for online casino games.”
The report, utilizing aggregated data from PureWin online gambling platform, showed that fast and simplified games are taking the top positions in many categories. This is especially true for games including “lightning roulette,” “auto roulette,” and “instant roulette,” among others.
Lightning roulette, for example, registered a 22.36 percent turnover and 21.91 percent of money bet, which placed it within the top 30 game titles on the PureWin site. ENV Media analysts described lightning roulette as “an especially successful product,” while roulette games, in general, have generated 70.1 percent turnover—also “an astounding amount for a casino targeting the Indian market.”
These successful online casino products have one thing in common: they are simplified and tailor-fit for desi players. The younger players, now comprising a major chunk of India’s online gaming market, are looking for platforms with a rich catalog, preferably with cross-over games and regularly updated content. Meanwhile, the easy gameplay features mean that they enjoy speed and even instant results.
Traditional Games Still The Gateway Product To India Market
Despite the growing popularity of the simplified versions of Western-style games, traditional games are still the golden cash cow of the country’s mobile-first gaming market. The preference of many desi players for classic games like Matka or Teen Patti and Andar Bahar, and ultimately poker and roulette, has already evolved into a demand for the online versions of these games that can be played anytime, anywhere.
PureWin data showed that the popular Indian and other Asian games hold 13.5 percent of the turnover in the top 30 on the platform, with 11.6 percent of the total money bet. These games are responsible for 9.7 percent of the total player count in the leading 30 games, according to the ENV Media report.
For international operators looking to get a piece of the Indian gaming market pie, these figures are essential to take into consideration especially when it comes to choosing the product to offer the players in the country. As explained by ENV Media analysts:
“Although the percentage of titles dedicated to traditional Indian and Asian games might be underrepresented in some offshore operators, their importance is undeniable in terms of visibility and online demand. When skill-based (i.e., Rummy) and therefore legitimate, they can openly attract sponsorship and conspicuous player participation across the nation.”
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