Arranging the playing cards in the right manner, first and foremost – this has been a popular penchant among millions of Indians for several decades now. Rummy epitomises this popularity both in terms of thrill and skill. You are never too far away from a Rummy enthusiast in India. It is even immortalised on the silver screen, with Paresh Rawal constantly dropping rummy analogies throughout the cult classic Andaz Apna Apna.
With this cultural and social backdrop, the success of rummy apps in India is beyond doubt. Multiple rummy platforms are attracting more than one lakh active players when measured in real-time. And app downloads run into crores! All of this indicates that rummy is indeed one of the most favourite online pastimes.
On a Rampaging Run
To understand the reasons for online rummy’s popularity, we need to examine a sequence of facts and events. This sequence acts as the premise on which its popularity has become increasingly robust.
- Rummy has had a timeless appeal in many countries, including India,
- Its introduction as an online gaming option made it more accessible,
- The fast smartphone penetration and availability of cheap and fast internet connectivity gave people the tools to access it,
- The two years of home confinement during the pandemic shrunk entertainment avenues, thus benefiting online games like rummy.
Given this journey, today, what we get is a playing field that is fertile for the growth of online rummy and similar gaming options. 76% of the total rummy market in Asia is traced back to India. With real-money games attracting more than 150 million gamers in India, the segment contributes 55% of the country’s gaming market. Not surprisingly, rummy is the most popular real-money games option in India, commanding 3/5th of the country’s total real-money games market. It is worth noting that this could go even higher if rummy’s pan-India popularity replicates that of South India.
Behind the Successes
The impressive and interesting success of rummy in the online gaming domain is down to its fundamental strength and its seamless assimilation into the online gaming ecosystem.
Rummy has been played among friends and family and even between strangers across a variety of occasions and events. From a train journey to weddings, religious events, or family get-togethers – whatever the occasion is, a pack of cards is all that is needed to pass the time on the sidelines. The challenge to outwit the opponent and win the game has motivated millions to pursue excellence in rummy.
In came the online games industry, making rummy accessible to all. You didn’t have to wait for friends or go to clubs to play a game of rummy. Thanks to the rummy apps, dozens of games and thousands of players are right there on your smartphone at any time. Till a few years ago, having an app didn’t mean instant success for the app developer. But now mobile penetration in India is rapid, thus widening the audience. Mobile phone sales registered a 15% year-on-year growth in sales during the first quarter of the previous financial year.
There are 1.15 billion mobile phone connections active in India, which is approximately 78% of the population. At over 751 million, internet penetration in India is more than 52%. The previous calendar year also saw a 2.6% increase in the number of internet users. A Facebook survey observed that 70% of mobile phone users like to play real-money games on their phones.
The equation is quite simple – more internet and smartphone penetration means more gamers, more real-money gamers and more game app downloads. Given its dominance, the rummy app is one of the top beneficiaries.
Real-Money Game Heavyweights
In terms of popularity, rummy faces challenges from several other popular real-money game variants.
- Fantasy sports – Fantasy sports are an immensely popular gaming segment with a wide range of sports incorporated within it. Sports enthusiasts test their expertise in the game by participating in fantasy sports leagues of their choice. It is a dynamic segment that includes real-life sports events from the world of cricket, football, basketball, kabaddi, badminton, etc.
- Poker – Texas Hold’em and Omaha are popular variants of another real-money game heavyweight, poker. An American favourite, poker is building a strong following across the world, including in India.
- Teenpatti – Teenpatti is a homegrown alternative to online card game options. Like rummy, it has a strong presence in the cultural fabric but has a strong reliance on the strength of the hand and the ability to bluff.
The Way Ahead
The decadal popular presence of online rummy apps like Playship is preceded by over a century of rummy popularity in India. This has helped online rummy to garner strong numbers, which is also ably backed by the sharp increase in internet reach and smartphone penetration in India. As the rest of the country catches up with rummy’s popularity in India’s south, the future could be even brighter for rummy platforms in India. Therefore, it is fair to say that rummy will continue to play with a strong hand in India.
