In its bid to build a supportive ecosystem for burgeoning Online Skill Gaming sector in Karnataka, the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) in association with The Times of India and Vijay Karnataka has announced the launch of ‘Game for Future,’ campaign meant to focus on future opportunities for Online Skill Gaming in the state.
Buoyed by smartphone penetration and strengthened digital infrastructure, the Online Skill Gaming industry has witnessed tremendous growth in recent years. According to the EY-FICCI Report released in March 2020, the number of online gamers in India grew 31% in 2019 at 365 million and is expected
to reach 440 million by 2022.
to reach 440 million by 2022.
The online gaming industry is growing at a CAGR of 22%. By 2024, India’s gaming industry is set to be valued at close to $4 billion. The growth projections have only fast-tracked in the ongoing pandemic by at least a year or two.
Moreover, with Karnataka being the “Silicon Valley of India” and bearing the torch for most technological innovations in the country, the State can become the “Gaming Corridor of India.” This will result in the economy attracting more investments, generating employment, and further aligning the State with the Prime Minister’s vision of Digital India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, and Startup India.
The campaign will emphasize the need for a carefully thought through and well-rounded policy that regulates Online Skill Gaming. The Times of India and Vijay Karnataka will support the conversations through print and digital mediums.
The youth has taken to online skill games such as chess, carrom, and archery beside popular genres such as cricket and football, like never before.
The youth has taken to online skill games such as chess, carrom, and archery beside popular genres such as cricket and football, like never before.
Speaking at the launch of the campaign Roland Landers, CEO, All India Gaming Federation, said, “Online Skill Gaming is a serious business and as Victor Hugo says an idea whose time has come. The campaign will only help shape the direction in which the industry will move. With its vast infrastructure, talent and academic institutions, Karnataka is certainly the State to take on the mantle as the hub for online skill gaming in India. We are prepared to make concerted efforts to ensure that with responsible regulations and a firm policy in place, this industry will grow manifold in a short period. We are hopeful that this campaign will spark the imagination of the people of Karnataka and its authorities as it makes most of the opportunity and true potential.”
The campaign will include a series of conversations through print and digital mediums, webinars that showcase the potential of Online Skill Gaming as an industry while demystifying myths surrounding it.
The campaign will culminate with an effort to make Karnataka a hub for the gaming industry with relevant inputs from various discussions involving key stakeholders that would encapsulate suggestions on regulating Online Skill Gaming.