PokerStars India is looking to capitalize on string of recent tournament wins by hosting the Summer Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP).
Bearing the same acronym as the long-running Spring Championship of Online Poker, PokerStars’ Indian SCOOP will feature 92 MTTs. Like its international counterparts, INSCOOP will aim to set the new standard for online poker in India.
Summer Coming Early at PokerStars India
As per the recent announcement, the festival will have a guaranteed prizepool of 4.16 Crore (approx. $596,480). At the top of that cash mountain is a main event dubbed The Mammoth.
Getting underway on May 13, the phased event boasts a $143,000 guarantee and runs through until May 26.
Had PokerStars India offered the same guarantee in 2018, it would been the country’s richest online tournament. However, with PokerBaazi upping the ante early this year, The Mammoth will have to double its guarantee to set a new record.
With 91 additional events between May 13 and 27, INSCOOP has every chance of drawing a crowd. But PokerStars India will also be hoping its new advertising campaign pays off.
Looking to continue its Indian online poker push, the operator recently partnered with Nawazuddin Siddiqui. One of Bollywood’s biggest stars, Siddiqui features in a series of TV commercials (see video above).
Between this partnership and its ongoing innovations, PokerStars India has jumped to third in the national rankings. Although it still trails the market leader Adda52, INSCOOP could close the gap.
Indian Online Poker Ready to Grow
With Southern Europe’s SCOOP recently breaking records, PokerStars’ local ventures are clearly proving popular.
Although Southern Europe’s shared liquidity market is more established, it’s overall size pales in comparison to India. However, even with a population of 1.3 billion, the country is yet to fulfil its potential as the next home of online poker.
Much like the US, regulatory issues have prevented regulation on a national basis. Instead, regional licensing laws have emerged.
These provisions have allowed operators to provide services to players across the country. Despite this, the lack of uniformity has stunted growth in certain parts of India.
But as is often the case, innovation breed success and success can lead to significant changes. With that being the case, INSCOOP could prove to be just as valuable for Indian online poker players as it is for PokerStars.
