Natural8 Lanches Dedicated Poker Platform for Indian Players
Natural8 is an Asian poker room on the other side of the coin for GGPoker. Where Western players must register at GGPoker, players in Asian countries register at Natural8. This site holds a Curacao licence and has been offering BBM Testlabs-certified poker games and tournaments to players for years.
However, things are now changing for Indian players registered at the site, as the brand is launching a dedicated online poker client for Indian players.
Online Gambling in India
While some states in India don’t have such a positive view of online gaming, it’s not illegal in the country. Real money gaming online is legal, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any rules around online gaming.
India’s Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) of 1999 says peer-to-peer fund transfers can’t conform to anti-money-laundering regulations. It further says operators must use the local currency in all games.
India’s tax law also states that all card game winnings will be subject to a 30% Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) rate. As such, if Natural8 wants to continue offering its services to players in India, it must make some changes.
Why is India a Critical Market?
India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and remains a critical market for Natural8. The poker platform has historically run several promotions and tournaments in this country, like the Indian Daily Freerolls. As such, it’s no surprise the brand wants to keep its Indian players.
Features of the India Platform
Natural8 unveiled the plans for the Indian poker client via an email to members on March 24. In this email, the company said Indian clients would migrate to a dedicated platform by the end of the month. But because the players’ bankroll, reward tiers, and PokerCraft history wouldn’t migrate, players had to withdraw all their funds ahead of the move.
However, just a few days later, another email stated that the migration would be postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. The company announced no exact date of when it’ll occur, but only that it’ll happen in the next few weeks.
Indian Rupee as Main Currency
While the brand didn’t explicitly state the reason for this migration, many speculate that it’s so the site can conform to Indian regulations. The platform will present all games in INR, and it’ll become the primary currency for poker games and transactions.
Despite the shift to a sole-Indian platform for players in the country, they’ll still have access to the dot-com market, the global tournament pools and cash games.
Importance of Poker Rooms’ Rakeback
Since rake is the fee poker rooms take for operating the game, rakeback is like cashback, in that you get back some of the rake you spent. It’s vital to help minimise the loss on your bankroll, and exclusive rakeback promotions can help you receive as much as 60% rakeback.
Many poker affiliate sites, like RakeRace.com, offer these deals when you sign up through them at poker rooms.
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