iWorld
More than 200K gamers pledge to become “Asli Gamers”
Mumbai: E-Gaming Federation (EGF), an independent not-for-profit organization representing top online skill gaming operators in India, registered a resounding success of its ‘Asli Gamer’ initiative. Building awareness around Responsible Gaming behavior, over 200K gamers joined the initiative post its launch in January 2023. In a first of its kind, the initiative reached out to the Indian gaming community and inspired players to take self-assessments and adopt healthy gaming habits. While 233517 online gamers have joined the Asli Gamer community, almost 175000 players downloaded ‘Asli Gamer’ badge – a symbolic pledge to be responsible. The badge can be shared across social media.
Featuring Indian cricketer Shubman Gill, India’s youngest T20 centurion and rapper Naezy, the campaign inspires and motivates players to become “Asli Gamer”. Reiterating EGF’s commitment to player protection and responsible gaming, the initiative talks to players across platforms in their language through a rap and urges them to adopt responsible gaming principles in a colloquial tone while bringing purpose and intent together. The rap urges players to respect the game, play for fun, maintain balance, set a limit, and self-exclude when going overboard. While the ‘Asli Gamer’ rap received 2.5 million views on YouTube, the campaign took over the social media and attracted recognized content creators like Avneet Kaur, Hina Khan, Ritwik Dhanjani, and Rohit Suchanti among others taking up the ‘Asli Gamer’ hook step challenge.
Over 220 content creators – both macro and micro helped in creating buzz with the #AsliGamerChallenge. In addition, specific creative interventions like 750 Live streaming sessions were organized with the gaming community to nudge them to adopt healthy gaming practices. The Asli gamer website was equipped with resources and tools like self-assessment tests that help identify current gaming behavior and steps needed to improve, if at all.
E-Gaming Federation brand evangelist Poonam Kaul said, “We take immense pride in the great positive response the ‘Asli Gamer’ campaign has received with over 200K gamers joining the landmark/ pioneering initiative. Asli Gamer was designed as a proactive approach to empower and enable players with the knowledge and tools to instill responsible gaming behavior. We are thrilled that we were able to connect with the Indian gaming community and encourage them to embrace and foster healthy gaming practices. At EGF, we have always emphasized on promoting responsible gaming and prioritizing player health and Asli Gamer initiative is a great start to drive the behavior change.”
The campaign aimed to educate the players and create awareness focused on the five principles of EGF’s ‘Responsible Play’ model including:
1. Fix and control your daily and monthly deposit limit
2. Play for entertainment, and not as a way of making money
3. If losing, never chase losses in order to recoup money
4. Self-exclude and stop playing if feeling stressed
5. Keep a balance between game time and other activities
Link: Bano Asli Gamer
iWorld
JioHotstar enters micro-drama space with 100 shows under Tadka banner
Short-form push targets 300M users as content meets commerce in new format
MUMBAI: JioStar has made a bold play in India’s fast-growing micro-drama space, rolling out over 100 short-form shows under its new Tadka banner on JioHotstar, timed with the massive viewership surge of the Indian Premier League 2026.
The scale of the launch signals clear intent. Rather than testing the waters, the company has dived in headfirst, releasing a wide slate of content on day one. Each show is designed for quick consumption, with episodes running 60 to 90 seconds in a vertical format tailored for mobile-first audiences.
The move comes as India’s micro-drama market, currently valued at around $300 million, is projected to grow tenfold to over $3 billion by 2030. Globally, the format has already proven its mettle, with China’s micro-drama sector recording explosive growth in recent years.
What sets this rollout apart is its built-in monetisation strategy. The shows are free to watch and ad-supported, with brand integrations woven directly into storylines from the outset. It reflects a broader shift where content and commerce are increasingly intertwined, rather than operating in silos.
The timing is equally strategic. With more than 300 million users already tuning in for IPL action, JioHotstar is effectively turning cricket’s biggest stage into a discovery engine for its new format.
The company is not entering an empty arena. Early movers like Kuku TV, MX Player and platforms backed by Zee Entertainment Enterprises have already laid the groundwork, building audiences and validating demand for snackable storytelling.
Now, with scale, distribution and advertiser interest aligning, the big players are stepping in. For JioStar, Tadka may well serve as a proving ground for the next evolution of digital entertainment, where every minute counts and every second sells.
If the bet pays off, India’s next big content wave might just arrive in under 90 seconds.
