India’s gaming sector is unique compared to that in other countries and is “naturally inclined” to the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, Anuraag Saxena, chief executive officer at E-Gaming Federation (EGF), said on Tuesday.
While talking to Business Standard, on the sidelines of the launch of a whitepaper titled “Guardians of Safe Play: Ethical Gaming for Vibrant Bharat,” Saxena said that unlike other tech industries like ride-hailing or social media, gaming is “fundamentally different.”
“The consumers here play fewer console or computer-based games and more on mobile phones,” he said.
According to the whitepaper, mobile gaming today accounts for 90 per cent of the total online gaming market in India.
Saxena said that owing to this, after Global Capability Centres and Business Process Outsourcing industries, gaming is the “first industry” which is “naturally inclined” with Make in India.
“Our media to play games are different, the duration is different, the variants are different, the formats are different,” he said.
“So, it’s truly a Make in India opportunity.”
Shalabh Saxena, partner and media industry leader at Grant Thornton Bharat, highlighted that India is an important country for global gaming players and investors as well. He said that in coming years, the international gaming industry would need talent, efficient delivery of products, and continuous cost-effective innovation.
“Now look at the similarities of these drivers and superimpose them on GCCs and BPO,” he said. “So, tomorrow if the global industry becomes huge, where is that talent going to come from?”
The whitepaper highlighted that the gaming industry in India has raised $2.8 billion from domestic and foreign investors in the last five years.
Saxena said that a lot of potential investment into the Indian gaming sector is “waiting on the sidelines.” It would come in once regulatory clarity emerges in the industry.
“Apart from the regulatory clarity, all the other factors are strong positives,” he said.
In the upcoming Budget, Saxena said that the “legitimate” gaming players must be treated at par, in terms of fairness, with the tech industry.
“We expect the legitimate part of the gaming industry to be treated as legitimately as any other tech company,” he said.
The whitepaper also highlighted that India’s gaming industry is expected to grow 20 per cent year-on-year to Rs 25,300 crore by the end of this financial year. It added that the number of online gamers has hit 442 million, second only to China.
Moreover, it called for a comprehensive Code of Conduct (CoC) in the gaming industry, setting clear standards for ethical behaviour to ensure accountability and transparency.
First Published: Jul 09 2024 | 5:46 PM IST
