Offshore casinos that are able to operate in India have a real challenge to overcome, and this is getting to grips with the gambling habits of the locals so that they can provide them with a quality service. Research has shown that Indian casino players enjoy original and dynamic content, and that slots and roulette are the games that are more popular than the rest. In this article, we are going to have a look at the online casino trends of modern India that were made clear from some recent research into the topic.
Simple Foreign Games Are Very Popular
The primary research for current online casino trends in India is based off aggregate data that was provided by Pure Win online casino. The data includes anonymous stats of more than 170,000 registered players over a 14-month period that ended in December 2021. The highlighted adoption and traction rates, alongside game preferences, are mostly confirmed by Google Trends.
The first thing that the research team took note of is that local Indian players like playing foreign games more than had been expected. Many of the top-ranked games at casinos are simplified editions of classic casino games such as slots, blackjack, or roulette. Easy gameplay is something that is enjoyed since it means a quicker spin or draw, and even instant results.
"Easy gameplay is something that is enjoyed since it means a quicker spin or draw, and even instant results".
Card games such as baccarat, blackjack, and Texas Hold'em are really good examples - these games attract the most attention - 11.6% of the whole player count. However, more significantly, player activity shows that roulette and online slots are the top picks among casino players across India when it comes down to casino games for real cash.
Roulette is a Clear Favourite
Online roulette is a game that tops most of the charts. In a list of top 30 games according to turnover, it generates a staggering 70% of business, while also drawing in 53% of the total money wagered on the most popular casino games. Lightning Roulette is the roulette variant that leads the way, and by some margin as well. Its huge success has seen it generate over a quarter of the top 30's turnover.
We feel that it is important to add that the majority of games in the leading group are Live dealer games, except for slots. Most of the fan favourites are also quick to play editions, especially when it comes to roulette. Games that have the words "Lightning", "Speed", "Auto", and "Instant" in their title attract the most online bets and crowds.
Slots Are Increasing in Popularity
This somewhat explains why slots online are also emerging as a firm favourite of Indians. From the 28,000 registered players that opted for the top 30 casino games, slots accounted for 29% of their gaming sessions. While roulette is at the top, it is more or less level with slot games when it comes to player count.
Slot games are a major example of a booming casino online niche that sees the most titles developed each year. On Pure Win, which is the online casino site that provided the data for such research, they reported active sessions in more than 2300 slots, which goes to highlight just how much of a growing market they are.
Us Indians Love Live Dealer Games
As mentioned briefly above, the top 30 list of games are mostly made up of live games, with slots being the main exception to this. Both Indian and Western-born games are preferred in live dealer move rather than a virtual mode with a simple layout.
Mainstream popularity helped to make casinos a big part of the gaming culture across India decades ago, and now players enjoy a setup which allows them to bring a land-based casino atmosphere right into their living room, or wherever they happen to be. Those games that cannot offer live sessions, such as slot gams, remain competitive by offering advanced visuals.
Traditional Asian Games Are Holding Their Ground
The findings we mentioned above were not unexpected for the Indian online casino market, even if they do happen to reflect more recent trends. Still, the study also highlighted the importance of traditional Indian games when it comes to real money games.
Based on the data that is available, Indian games such as Andar Bahar and Teen Patti generate just under 14% of the turnover from the top 30. Andar Bahar is ranked in 4th place overall when it comes to the number of players, and it is ranked first when it comes to popular Indian table games.
teen patti is another game that Indian players love to play, but this is not that surprising when you remember that it is a game that often dominates in mobile app rankings. Other Asian online games that have become really popular across India are Sic Bo, Fan-Tan, and Dragon Tiger. Indian classics such as Ludo and Jhandi Munda are also very popular.
Different Tastes in Different States
Previous studies have shown that players from different states across India will have different tastes, and a similar pattern emerged from this research. For example, in the state of Rajasthan, baccarat is the most popular game, while slots are the most popular in the state of Delhi. The people of Karnataka love their roulette, while those from the state of Andhra Pradesh are the most active when it comes to gambling online.
To Sum Up
Overall, Indian casino players look for simplified editions of global casino game favourites that have live dealers and offer plenty of speed. However, operators need to offer a good selection of global classics and traditional Asian games since the latter are still really popular among Indian players, especially in states such as Karnataka. The trends of the online casino market in India are going to carry on changing as online gambling becomes more and more popular, and we really look forward to see how these trends might change in the near future.
