Access to data, smartphone penetration and the ease of digital payments made this business idea even more alluring, says Varun Mahna, CEO & Founder, Pokerdangal.

Varun Mahna, CEO & Founder, Pokerdangal, talks about his platform, of how he started and plan for the future.

1.) How did the idea of Pokerdangal come up?

The idea came from being consumers ourselves. I was a keen poker enthusiast and started playing online in 2014. It was during this time that I realized that the services available are not up to the desired standards and on the other side the demand was surging. I met my engineering friend Varun Puri and discussed the potential of this business idea. Varun was quickly onboard and saw the potential of this becoming a business which is both scalable and sustainable apart from being a business of the future. Access to data, smartphone penetration and the ease of digital payments made this business idea even more alluring. In Feb 2017, Karan Gandhi and Shashwat Jain joined the team adding skill sets essential for the business. Shashwat has extensive experience in scaling start-ups and has unmatched data expertise. Karan understood the poker business as he himself is a long-term player and his knowledge of user behaviour was unparallel. Together, we started the venture in May 2017, and we went live in Sep 2017.

2.) Tell us about the inception?

It was a very tough ride from 2014 to 2017 to find the right team to execute the idea. Many of our peers whom we spoke to were not sure about the sector or were not willing to take the plunge. The idea was appreciated by most, but few were ready to take the decisive steps.

In the months leading to the product going live, we came up with our GTM strategy and the proof of concept was delivered within 3 months of going live. With minimal marketing spend, we were able to achieve a concurrency on the platform and managed to scale our operations organically. We started preparing for our launch 6 months prior to actually going live. The business required a lot of innovation while planning the Go To Market strategy as we were a bootstrapped organization. The initial traction was the key to our survival, and we had made an extensive plan to get these users to our platform. From our friends and family to our social circle, we leveraged our contacts for us to garner our first 100 users. Customized promotions were offered to these players which increased their potential for engaging on the platform.

3.) How has the digital industry changed the way people play online games?

The scaling of the digital ecosystem has been a massive contributor in the growth of the Indian online gaming sector. Digital payments and data penetrations are the heart and soul of the real money gaming business and we have seen a steady increase in users preferring digital payments post demonetization. The ease of payments has given the sector an unprecedented push. The accessibility of smartphones coupled with availability of cheap data has made it possible for users to enjoy games even in remote areas of the country and this penetration has made the gaming sector a red-hot sector to be in.

4.) How is Pokerdangal contributing to responsible gaming?

PokerDangal strictly follows responsible gaming and has been an advocate for this from the beginning. The current legal framework has not clearly defined responsible gaming acts in the sector and hence the onus is on the operators to self-regulate. From setting up deposit limits to taking a break from the game or any psychological consultations, we provide all the support we can to ensure users are not wronged in any way.

5.) According to you, how much is poker a skill-based game?

I am a firm believer that poker is a 100% game of skill. The patience, the acumen, and the strategy one requires to succeed in a game of poker are parallel to none and the testament to the same is the fact that people do get better with practice in the game. We have also seen users taking proper coaching and courses to get better at the game and enhance their skills.

6.) Personally, what is your level for playing poker?

I would rate myself as an amateur who is very passionate about the game.