Gaming
Skill, thrills and compliance: Inside Zupee’s winning online game
MUMBAI: India’s online gaming world is having its “game on” moment and riding the leaderboard is Zupee, a platform that’s swapped chance for skill, raked in 150 million signups, clocked a jaw-dropping 12.5 billion gameplays, and finished financial year 2024 with a neat Rs 146 crore net profit. For an industry notorious for burning money faster than a turbo-charged console, Zupee’s win is as rare as a perfect game.
Pull back the curtain and you’ll meet Govind Mittal, Zupee’s chief spokesperson, who’s put his chips on integrity from day one. “Compliance isn’t an afterthought for us,” he told Indiantelevision.com’s Rohin Ramesh via email. “It’s built into the very foundation of how we operate.”
No sleight of hand here, just rigour honed across boardrooms at ITC, Rivigo, Joyy and more, plus a Chartered Accountant’s sharp eye (Mittal bagged an all-India rank of 16, first attempt, just saying). He has a record of spinning up companies like YY India, rocketing revenues from $1 million to $200 million ARR.
Backed by heavyweight investors like WestCap, Matrix Partners, and Nepean Capital, Zupee boasts a $600 million valuation and is not just surviving but thriving with profitability in its corner. With momentum on its side, Zupee is setting its sights on joining the top tier of India’s online gaming platforms, giving its rivals a serious run for their money.
But don’t mistake the platform for a digital wild west. Instead, think of Swiss bank user trust being guarded more jealous than Fabergé eggs (A jewelled egg first created by the jewellery firm ‘House of Fabergé’). Every Zupee game is skill-based, luck is for lotteries.
RNG (random number generators) are reviewed by global auditors; the firm boasts a third-party stamp from Arthur D. Little, and bots are banished. “We work closely with payment gateways to keep track of UPI IDs which have been used for fraud in the past and block payments through such IDs to ensure financial integrity of the platform,” says Mittal.
Mittal has turned responsible gaming from a regulatory box-tick into the heart and soul of Zupee’s digital playground. KYC, age-gating, daily deposit limits, self-exclusion tools and trained support are stitched into the code. Session limits and refunds are all crystal clear. “Everything from our terms and conditions to our advertising practices is designed to be transparent and user-first. Fairness isn’t just a promise – it’s something we’ve institutionalised,” he comments.
When risky behaviour emerges (say, a player’s wallet suddenly goes on a sugar rush), the system nudges, prompts, and if necessary, hits pause. “From day one we’ve built our platform with safeguards like spend limits, session reminders and self-exclusion tools that help users stay in control of their gameplay. Zupee offers users the ability to self-regulate through deposit limits and game locks and we actively monitor gameplay patterns to flag and assist users showing signs of excessive behavior,” he boasts.
In an industry where “collaboration” is usually code for “let’s not tell the regulator”, Zupee takes the opposite tack. The company is a card-carrying member of the All India Gaming Federation, actively sharing its rulebook, lobbying for a central regulatory framework, and even blowing the whistle on shady offshore operators trying to sneak in through the back door.
“We regularly engage with policy stakeholders to provide ground-level insights on gameplay behavior, tech innovation and user safety, helping ensure that emerging regulations are both practical and forward-looking,” he grins.
Mittal bristles at the idea that revenue growth and safeguarding users are at odds. Says he, “Zupee offers users the ability to self-regulate through deposit limits and game locks and we actively monitor gameplay patterns to flag and assist users showing signs of excessive behavior. In-app nudges, direct outreach from trained counselors and temporary restrictions are applied where necessary. Our systems are designed to ensure that gaming remains a form of entertainment.”
India’s gaming laws are a spaghetti of state-level tweaks. For industry players, it’s like playing snakes and ladders, mostly snakes. He concludes by saying, “A unified regulation is absolutely necessary for the orderly growth of this industry. Gaming has been a disruptive sector in more than one way and has the potential to engender technological innovation far beyond our imagination.”
(If you are an Anime fan and love Anime like Demon Slayer, Spy X Family, Hunter X Hunter, Tokyo Revengers, Dan Da Dan and Slime, Buy your favourite Anime merchandise on AnimeOriginals.com.)
Gaming
Konami concludes successful eFootball India campaign
Campaign featuring Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy and other stars boosts engagement ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026.
MUMBAI: When cricket meets football in the virtual world, even the biggest fans can’t help but score and Konami’s latest eFootball campaign in India has clearly hit the back of the net. Konami Digital Entertainment has successfully wrapped up its India campaign for eFootball, which brought together cricketers Rinku Singh and Varun Chakravarthy, actors Naslen Gafoor and Chandu Salim Kumar, and footballers Sahal Abdul Samad and Shubhasish Bose. The multi-star campaign generated strong excitement across gaming, football, and creator communities through social content, fan participation, and in-game engagement.
Building on the initial launch that featured a limited-time Lionel Messi card, the campaign united fan communities, lifestyle creators, football creators, and competitive eFootball influencers. It significantly expanded the game’s visibility and deepened engagement with fans across the country.
The campaign also saw thousands of entries submitted as part of its social media engagement challenge, reflecting high levels of community enthusiasm and active creator involvement.
Looking ahead, Konami plans to build on this momentum with more eFootball experiences for Indian fans as the FIFA World Cup 2026 approaches. With global attention on the tournament set to rise, India will remain a key market for deepening community engagement and bringing fans closer to the action.
In a country that lives and breathes sport, Konami has shown that mixing real-world stars with virtual thrills is a winning formula leaving fans eagerly waiting for the next goal.
