PFG & ESPL Team Up for Mobile Tournaments

No one can argue that Esports is growing increasingly popular year-over-year. From 2018 to 2019, global Esports viewership increased by 12.3%, and the total audience size grew by 53 million in 2020. The same trend is evident in India as well, as viewership numbers doubled in the country over the last two years. Thus, it is clear that industry events may soon go head to head with actual sporting matches.

Trying to take advantage of this trend, Paytm First Game (PFG), Paytm’s all-in-one-gaming app, in April, announced a strategic partnership with tournament network Esports Players League (ESPL). ESPL is a Singapore-based platform provider dedicated to developing an open tournament ecosystem that fosters a grassroots gamer community. With only one year under its belt, this organization has managed to gain a footprint across sixteen countries and establish a hybrid tournament model for amateur gamer leagues. It began its global conquest with franchise agreements in Southeast Asia and Latin America and now seeks to further expand by accessing the Indian market.

PFG’s deal with EPSL entails a partnership that will see the two produce seasons of mobile gaming tournaments in India. ESPL will focus its efforts on executing these contests and acquiring new users, while PFG will provide expansion strategies, seek out global media deals, and provide tech solutions. Michael Broda, ESPL’s CEO, said in a statement – “We cannot think of a better partner than Paytm for expansion into this highly-desirable market.”

Mobile Casinos and Online Roulette Are Exploding in Popularity

According to an October report published by Reportlinker.com, the mobile gaming market should reach $153 billion by 2027. What is of note is that a good chunk of mobile-play will be on games of chance at online casinos, an industry currently worth $66 billion. One of the biggest appeals of such platforms is that they allow players to enjoy live dealer games like roulette via a smartphone. If you are wondering – is roulette legal in India on the internet? Well, this is a bit of a grey area, as no law regulates the activity online, and Indians are free to play at offshore sites without fearing prosecution.

Note that live internet table action is not a new thing, as the first such games went live in 2003. UK gaming giant Playtech was the one responsible for the original iteration of this technology. However, over the years, Latvia-based Evolution Gaming has taken over and rules as the undisputed live table provider. Its innovative Lightning Roulette game is the only non-slot title that ranks among the most top online thirty real money games. If the spin of the wheel is your thing, be aware that most platforms offer a vast roulette offer that consists of multiple variations. These tables can stream from either a casino-like studio or a real-life gaming establishment.

Mobile Gaming is One of India’s Fastest-Growing Industries

In 2020, the Mobile Marketing Association and consultancy firm KANTAR IMRB researched and showed that India is among the five largest mobile gaming markets in the world and that this industry is one of the fastest-growing in the country. Estimates claim that the market is currently worth around $2.4 billion, four times what it was in 2017.

The average Indian mobile gamer spends 6.9 hours per week playing on his smartphone, which is slightly lower than the global average of 7.1 hours. Over one-third of gamers are over 35-years-old, and more females are joining this sub-culture. Males are more inclined to play action and sports games, while women gravitate more towards games such as quizzes and puzzles, titles that stimulate the mind. Though, surprisingly, women are more likely to spend money on in-app purchases.

If we go by statistics, every year more people are turning to forms of digital entertainment, and due to the current global crisis, the number of times the term – mobile games, entered Google has sky-rocketed. Thus, PFG’s involvement with ESPL and the influx of new and exciting mobile tournaments will only stimulate the current climate and grow the number of mobile gamers, as it becomes the dominant form of entertainment for new generations.