• AIGF strengthens its advisory panel with the induction of three new experts including Juctice Vikramajit Sen, Fatema Agarkar & Jhulan Goswami
• The gaming industry fueled by technology is the biggest past-time globally and India is the next frontier
• As millions of players get on gaming platforms, AIGF emphasizes on Player Protection & Responsible Gaming

India, 12th May, 2020: The COVID-19 outbreak and the nationwide lockdown have had a pronounced impact across industries. Besides stalling economic activity and lowering consumption, the pandemic has also led to behavioral and lifestyle changes in people.

The time as well as the average spends per user (ARPUs) for online gaming is rising significantly making gaming the biggest past-time globally as quoted by top economist Ruchir Sharma from Morgan Stanley, in January this year. The online transaction based skill gaming industry in India grew at a robust rate of 30% while the ARPUs went up by a whopping 41% in 2019, as per the FICCI Frames 2020 report compiled by Ernst & Young. In view of these trends the importance for self-regulation for this Industry cannot be emphasized enough.

Mr. Roland Landers, CEO, All India Gaming Federation states, “Since its inception over four years ago, the objective of AIGF was centered around bringing recognition to the sunrise sector of transaction based online skill gaming. One of the key deliverables for us was to set up a robust self-regulation mechanism that would serve the needs of the Industry by means of good governance”.

Speaking on the initiative, Mr. Landers mentions, “AIGF skill games charter was released in 2018 and was based on the four foundations of integrity, legality, global best practices and good governance. The charter focusses entirely on player protection, responsible gaming including guidelines for advertising.” Through the adoption of principles and the disciplinary process, the AIGF seeks to build a self-regulatory community and facilitative ecosystem for the offer of online transactional games of skill in a transparent and fair manner, with due regard for consumer and stakeholder interests.

With the surge in the transactional based online skill ecosystem and the addition of newer business verticals like digital eSports, the AIGF felt the need to strengthen its Advisory Board and has onboarded eminent experts from diverse backgrounds of the judiciary, education and sports.

On welcoming the new advisory Board members, Mr. Landers professes, “We are privileged to have strengthened our advisory panel at AIGF and are very honored to have eminent Justice Vikramajit Sen, a Former Judge of the Supreme Court and Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, Ms. Fatema Agarkar, leading educationist & Founder of the Agarkar Centre of Excellence (ACE) combing sports and education, and Ms. Jhulan Goswami, Indian International Cricketer and the former captain of the Indian National women’s cricket team join us and offer their expert guidance to us and the industry.”

Justice Vikramajit Sen states, “As online transaction based gaming has grown by 30% over last year, self-regulation for this ever expanding Industry is extremely important. To overcome the blurred lines, the AIGF Skill Games Charter provides the very foundation for responsible gaming, user integrity, player protection, and best practices for member operators to ensure ethical practices to safeguard the consumer interest.

To further contribute to the process, I am excited to be on the advisory panel of the AIGF, which has vetted the charter and play a role in guiding the Industry body and its stakeholders forward as the sector grows.”

Elaborating on the importance of Digital sports gaming, Ms. Fatema Agarkar states “I am glad to be a part of AIGF’s advisory panel and for me, the sheer potential that e-sports enjoys lies in its reach, bringing communities together, enabling an alternative to physical sports, working with key life skills such as decision making, critical thinking and logic not to mention attitudes of discipline, responsible digital citizenship!”

“There’s cognitive development and participation avenues that open up given its tech base and therefore obvious reach beyond the four walls, and when structured with science and responsible protocols, the sheer scale of possibilities it opens up cannot be emphasized enough. With AIGF’s well-structured Responsible Gaming Charter, we will put the right checks in place and treat it with the respect it deserves!” Ms. Agarkar further added.

Elated to be part of AIGF’s advisory board, Ms. Jhulan Goswami said, “It is heartening to see that millions of gamers are participating in online formats including cricket and that this ecosystem is growing rapidly. It is an honor to be on the board alongside such eminent people And makes me extremely happy to see the industry come together to adopt the guidelines of the AIGF charter to ensure best practices and player protection for the online Skill Gaming Industry.”

About AIGF
The All India Gaming Federation is a not-for-profit registered society, and the apex Industry body for all transaction based online skill gaming. One of the key objectives of the AIGF is focused on bringing recognition to this sunrise sector.

The AIGF is committed to dealing with issues pertaining to the transaction based online skill gaming Industry through its self-regulation charter, knowledge papers, reports conferences & events. Since its inception in 2016, AIGF has been at the forefront, working with relevant legislative, judiciary and executive to demonstrate the importance of its self-regulation mechanisms as well as highlight the economic & social benefits of this sector.

To know more about AIGF, please visit: https://aigf.in/about_aigf/
For any further information, please contact:
Mr. Nikhil Pavithran | +91 9819101272 | Nikhil@kaizzencomm.com
Ms. Tanya Shandilya | +91 87006 68026 | Tanya@kaizzencomm.com