Applications
Zapak launches its first social game ‘Zapak Tambola’
MUMBAI: Online gaming portal Zapak.com today announced its foray into social gaming with the launch of World‘s first Housie game on Facebook called Zapak Tambola.
This is Zapak‘s first social game on Facebook, which is an independent application with complete social integration.
Zapak Tambola is the version of a very popular game called Housie, played in clubs, parties and other social get-togethers across India. The multi-player game allows players to chat with each other from the same room and also send and exchange virtual gifts.
The exciting part is that unlike the offline game, Zapak Tambola allows players to experiment with different avatars which they can show off. The advanced Avatar feature is a first in synchronous (games where players play live with each other) games on Facebook.
Users have to log on to – http://apps.facebook.com/zapaktambola/ and choose a room from the lobby to play in. The rooms are with variable ticket prices appealing to both players who like to play it safe and the ones who love to win big. Then the user buys tickets to participate in the game. Numbers are called out randomly by the Tambola Host and crossed automatically on the ticket purchased. The winners are the players who claim first on the numbers getting crossed out in a particular pattern (Jaldi 5, Top, Middle and Bottom Rows, Full house).
Zapak Tambola is a multiplayer room based game. And has social features like chatting and gifting presents to friends and counter parts. The game follows international standards of gameplay and can be enjoyed by users from around the world.
Avatars – Users have an array of options to customise and create unique avatars for themselves which helps them stand out from the crowd.
Virtual Currency – TCoins and TCash are the two currency options available to play the game. This currency can be used for buying tickets and customising avatars. Multiple payments options are available to buy Virtual currency.
Gaming today forms a significant part of Facebook worldwide with engagement not limited to only catching up with friends but largely playing social games. Out of 26 million active users on Facebook from India, approximately 5-7 million of them play games on Facebook every month.
Reliance Entertainment digital business COO Manish Agarwal said, “We are extremely thrilled to have launched Zapak Tambola. Housie is the most played party game in India and lends itself perfectly into a social game. Our main objective with Zapak Tambola has been to create an easy and popular game which can be enjoyed by users equally irrespective of their age. Facebook has an untapped opportunity of Indian themed social games and we hope to tap it aggressively.”
Applications
With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
