Amid debates over regulating gambling activities in India, the government of Nagaland has approved yet another online poker website.
Baazi Networks Pvt. Ltd., which operates online poker website PokerBaazi.com, received a license to operate online poker games from the Nagaland government, GLaws.in reported.
This is the fifth license issued under the Nagaland Prohibition of Gambling and Promotion and Regulation of Games of Skill Rules, 2016 and the Nagaland Prohibition of Gambling and Promotion and Regulation of Online Games of Skill Rules, 2016. The Nagaland Rules and Act legally allow online skill games to be played with stakes or real money across the country, unless other states pass a legislative or executive order outlawing the games.
Aside from PokerBaazi, four other websites have received a license from the Nagaland government—Khelo365, Pokabunga, Pokerhigh and Club Empire.
PokerBaazi’s license is for a single game—in this case, poker—Navkiran Singh, director of Baazi Networks and co-founder of PokerBaazi, confirmed to GLaws.in’s Jay Sayta.
In a statement, Singh said PokerBaazi is “India’s most trust poker website,” and “the license will help ease fears among players who feel unsafe in depositing money on online poker platforms.”
“The license officially allows us to operate Texas Hold’em & PLO poker games in states permitting skill based online games and players can play without any apprehensions of legality,” Singh said, according to the news outlet. “Our organization already offers the best promotions, good customer support, proper TDS process and the smoothest withdrawal process; so after updating our software, this move is in keeping with our aim to give the best experience to players in every possible way.”
Nagaland licensees are required to pay an annual fee of INR1 million ($15,000) per game, or INR2.5 million for a “bouquet” of games for the first three years and INR2 million per game per year after that or INR5 million for a further two-year bouquet. Licensees also have to pay a quite reasonable 0.5% of gross revenue tax to the state.
