The Interactive Entertainment and Innovation Council (IEIC) has taken a significant step in promoting the growth of India’s online gaming sector by certifying over 100 games for their preponderance of skill. This certification is based on a groundbreaking statistical method developed with experts from prestigious institutions, including IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, and Stanford University. The technique analyzes over 100 million users’ gameplay data across billions of sessions to objectively verify that the outcomes of these games rely more on skill than on chance.
This initiative addresses a longstanding challenge in the gaming industry: differentiating between games of skill and games of chance. By establishing an objective framework for certification, the Interactive Entertainment and Innovation Council is bringing much-needed clarity to the online gaming space, ensuring consumers can confidently choose platforms that offer genuine skill-based entertainment while avoiding those with gambling or betting elements.
The certification process empowers consumers by clearly distinguishing legitimate, skill-based games from illegal gambling operations. By aligning with the Supreme Court of India’s test for the preponderance of skill, the IEIC is promoting a fair, transparent, and responsible gaming ecosystem that can thrive without regulatory uncertainty. This initiative also has the potential to drive innovation and growth within the industry, creating a safer environment for consumers and a more robust market for developers.
The certified games come from over 50 leading developers, including Artoon, AppOn, Chennai Games, Hash Byte, MaxPlay, Smash Head, WinZO, and Play Bytes. These developers span genres such as arcade, sports simulations, puzzles, card games, and board games, showcasing the wide-ranging appeal of skill-based gaming. By validating the skill element in these games, IEIC reinforces the value of strategic decision-making, consistency, and player expertise while distinguishing them from games of chance.
As India’s online gaming industry grows—currently valued at USD 3.1 billion and projected to reach USD 6 billion by 2028—the IEIC certification could help the country capture a 20% global market share, unlocking a USD 60 billion opportunity by 2034. This growth would bring about significant employment opportunities, positioning India as a global leader in gaming.
“The IEIC’s initiative is a much-needed move to establish credibility in the Indian gaming sector,” said Naresh Khokhaneshiya, co-founder of Artoon. “It offers us a cost-effective way to validate the skill element in our games while providing transparency to consumers.”
This certification program also plays a crucial role in reducing the regulatory burden on the gaming industry. The initiative paves the way for easier business operations and innovation in game design by streamlining compliance through self-declaration and leveraging scientific data. As the certification process scales, it will continue to attract foreign investment, foster innovation, and create high-productivity jobs in the digital economy.
IEIC’s approach offers a scalable and credible model to differentiate games of skill from games of chance, benefiting consumers and developers while ensuring that India’s gaming sector continues growing responsibly and sustainably.
