Adda52.com: transforming the modus vivendi of the gaming industry

Adda52.com: transforming the modus vivendi of the gaming industry

Mind games are a recreational getaway to acquire new skills and enhance one's mental abilities. Games like rummy and poker have seen a gradual rise over the years with the influx of new players driven by technological advances. Technical advancements not only in terms of new and advanced gadgets and light speed internet, but also in terms of scientific and research-based innovations like virtual reality.

While gaming practices had always existed in India, the digital age has revolutionized the entire gaming sector to a new level. Games are no more limited to friends and family but have now become a thriving online activity where millions of users engage. The universal appeal and social nature of the online gaming industry offers a multitude of opportunities for direct monetization, user engagement and brand promotions. Adda52.com has been adapting and evolving its gaming interface in accord with the latest technology providing the most exclusive experience to its users thereby working towards the promotion and development of an important mind and skill-based game for the future generations.

Adda52.com, the largest online poker and card games site in India, came into existence in 2011 by the earnest efforts made by Mohit Agarwal (CEO & Co-founder, Adda52.com) and Anuj Gupta (Chairman & Founder). Considering the developments in the market and society, the duo decided to create the company with a vision of transforming the landscape of online gaming, especially mind and skill-based games in India. A strong emphasis was put on making the game accessible, user-friendly and popular among the target group. The firm has been successful in their efforts by making millions of users a part of the network. According to the founding members, the driving force behind the creation of such a dynamic platform was the love for this game and the dire need of a recognized platform. The firm provides different poker variants like the No Limit Texas Hold'em, Pot Limit Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo and Crazy Pineapple at various stakes. The strong inclination of consumers towards the gaming industry suggests the firm's future appears to be very bright.

Our editorial team spoke to Mohit, the CEO & Co-Founder of Adda52.com to know more about him and the enterprise he represents. Here are the edited excerpts from the conversation.

In which industry does the company operate, the area of expertise and who are your clients?

We operate in the online gaming industry and specifically offer games played for real money where the user uses personal skill to win. Our diverse audience ranges from students to corporate guys to retired people, while the industry remains largely skewed towards the male gender. However, the passion for gaming and the ability to exercise their grey cells in implementing strategies to win the game connects them all.

Innovation, transformation and technological enhancements are the key elements of this online gaming platform. Adda52.com ensured the fairness of online poker game by attaining the overall certification of fairness with a reliable and resilient system by iTech (World's leading testing and certification laboratory for Online Gaming systems). The agency also evaluated our Random Number Generator (RNG) to meet the stringent industry certification standards. We employ the use of state-of-the-art technology to make the game accessible and provide a secure environment for users across various online platforms.

What are the key aspects that demonstrate the uniqueness of the company?

The firm's uniqueness lies in the technology used to cater to the unique needs of Indian users- be it the ability to work in poor network conditions or the end to end encryption-based communication. Our robust software caters to the unique needs of the diverse audience. These features make us stand apart from other firms.

What were the challenges faced during the initial journey of the business?

In the initial days of inception, we faced a pushback from partners who incorrectly perceived real money games as social evil. As time passed, the perception too changed – the stature was levitated to the level of a skill-based game; civil society along with state governments realized the mental benefits the game carries with it and more people are now taking the game as a way of life. As a testimony of its popularity, Adda52 dealt its 100 Millionth hand online in 2017 marking a big achievement in the poker fraternity.

How do you plan to make your mark in the industry?

We constantly endeavour to introduce the poker game to as many people as possible on all the platforms possible. Ivy League institutes like Harvard and prestigious institutions like MIT introduced poker as a course in their curriculum; it is only a matter of time that the game gets equal attention as it gets in other places.

Please shed some light on the revenue model of the organization?

We generate revenue by charging a service fee for every hand played on the real money tables. Depending on blinds/stakes, we collect a certain percentage of the amount as fees from the final pot. We are transparent and ethical in our practices and always provide a clear picture of the charges to our customers. In addition, we provide certain games free of charge for the users to try out the product and learn the game.

What business problem is the organization addressing with its services?

Despite the popularity of poker as an offline game, research shows that people find it difficult to remain perpetually available for offline games. Thus, using the state-of-the-art technology, we made the game available across the web, mobile and app platforms enabling it to be played with no time restrictions & with insurance of a safe & secure platform. This skill-based game addresses the other consumer needs of training of the mind, helping one take quick decisions, pushing one to be calm and patient to perform well in the game.

Brief us on the milestones and accolades earned by the company to date

Since the inception, we registered a strong 1.8 million registered users with us and dealt our 100 Millionth hand online in 2017 which is a big achievement in the poker fraternity. For us, it remains a matter of pride that India's largest offline Poker tournament – Deltin Poker Tournament is powered by Adda52. Our association as the Brand License partner for the World Poker Tour enabled us to launch the first and largest participated tournament, WPT India in 2017.

The firm is also the founding member of All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) and working committee member of Skill Games Federation in AIGF and Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). In August 2017, Delta Corp Limited, the only listed gaming and hospitality company in India acquired the parent company of Gaussian Networks which owns and operates the online skill gaming portal Adda52.com.

As you look toward the future, what do you foresee for the future of business continuity?

The mind/skill-based gaming genre is bound to see a huge growth in the future because of the favourable demographics and Internet infrastructure. We plan to make extensive investments to remain a leader in the category and to deliver the best gaming experience to its users. Plans are underway to drive the popularity of the game through various marketing initiatives.

What are some of the learning in your life and what is your biggest dream?

For me, learning means not to lose faith in adverse situations and keep moving forward in life. I want to transform the landscape of the online gaming Industry and the way Indians play Poker. We have a great team with us, and things can only improve from here.

The Guiding Force                                                                  

Mohit Agarwal an electrical engineer from IIT Delhi and MS in Computer Science from the University of California, Berkley is the CEO and Co-Founder of Adda52.com. Mohit holds experience of working at the top managerial positions in Ittiam Systems and Conexant systems and has several patents filed under his name in the United States Patent & Trademark Office. As a researcher, he has published quite a few research papers and believes that innovation is the key to success.

Anuj Gupta an alumnus of IIT Delhi, and VIT Pune is a serial entrepreneur, Chairman and Founder of Adda52.com and an experienced professional with a successful venture in the internet gaming industry. He is an astute management professional skilled in Business Process, Digital marketing, Strategic planning and execution, Requirements Analysis, Enterprise Software, E-commerce, and Customer Relationship Management (CRM).

A piece of advice for the budding entrepreneurs

It is a good time to be in the country and bring a change in the consumer's life. It remains imperative to understand consumer's pain points deeply and then create a product/service to address the same. The market is favourable to innovative ideas, especially in the world of technology. So, dream big and make a difference.