Indian online poker is flourishing in 2019 thanks to a rush of innovations that includes music videos and daily freerolls.
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Spartan Poker cofounder Amin Rozani (pictured left) has made an unlikely cameo in a Punjabi RnB video. (Image: starambassador.in)
In what seems to be something of a developing trend, Amin Rozani is the unlikely star of a new music video.
Although his cameo in Sajni Ve is brief (see video below), the fact he’s featured at all is a testament to the growing popularity in India.
Indian Online Poker Hitting High Notes
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As the cofounder of Spartan Poker, Rozani is one of the best-known figures within the Indian online poker community. However, with regulatory issues still a problem in certain parts of the country, poker and its leading figures are far from mainstream news.
With any exposure a positive, the entrepreneur seized an opportunity to work alongside Punjabi RnB artist Yusuf Shaikh.
“It will sure be interesting to see what is in store for me ahead in this space. While my work in the video is important, as are the initiatives that Spartan Poker and I are constantly taking up,” Rozani said in an April 3 press release.
While poker and music don’t often collide, the two appear to have found an interesting harmony in India. Just a week before Sajni Ve hit the airwaves, a poker-inspired hip-hop track went live (see video below).
Titled Hustle Hai, the rap is performed by Dependent Artists and produced by Indian online poker site 9Stacks.
In promoting the song, 9Stacks described it as inspiration for those who know how to hustle. Essentially linking the idea of hard work and skill to poker, Hustle Hai is the operator’s way of introducing more young adults to the game.
Operators Are Becoming Innovators
As the teams behind Spartan Poker and 9Stacks move their PR efforts in one direction, PokerBaazi has charted a more traditional course. In an effort to attract more beginners, the Indian online poker site has launched a series of freerolls.
Going live on April 1, the free-to-enter tournaments have real money prizes and run every 10 minutes throughout the day.
Although the concept of freerolls will be familiar to international players, they’re currently less common in India. However, with PokerStars about to celebrate its one-year anniversary within the Indian online poker market, local operators are having to adapt.
Indeed, with freerolls a standard product across the PokerStars network, the site has gradually become popular with novices. According to the latest data from PokerScout, PokerStars has become the third most active site in India since the start of 2019.
With one of the industry’s biggest brands gaining momentum, the latest innovations won’t be the last. As the likes of Spartan Poker look to attract mainstream consumers, creative marketing efforts could become the norm as Indian online poker evolves.
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