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When Trivikraman Thampy and Bhavin Pandya, both alumni of New York University, envisioned a gaming platform in 2006, they laid the foundation for what would eventually become Games24x7. At the time, India’s new media market was still in its infancy.

While gaming is distinct from gambling, Games24x7 initially struggled to gain investor confidence. It took years to establish that real money gaming operates independently from casinos and online gambling.

The company achieved unicorn status in 2022 after raising $75 million at a $2.5 billion valuation, with investors such as Tiger Global, The Raine Group, and Malabar Investment Advisors backing its growth.

Nearly two decades after its launch, Games24x7 has become one of three unicorns in India’s $3.8 billion online gaming industry, which comprises 30% of the $12.5 billion new media market. In FY23, the startup surpassed INR 2,000 crore in revenue.

Beyond game development, Games24x7 is investing in the future of gaming startups. Its corporate investment wing, Games24x7 Ventures, recently launched the TechXpedite Accelerator Programme, selecting 17 startups from sectors including gaming, AI, and impact-driven technology.

At its core, Games24x7 revolves around two flagship games: RummyCircle and My11Circle. RummyCircle, a skill-based gaming platform, has attracted over 15 million players and turned profitable by 2012. In 2019, the company ventured into fantasy sports with My11Circle, which now boasts over 500 million fantasy teams created annually. The platform gained further visibility as an associate partner of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2024.

Despite these achievements, real-money gaming in India continues to face stigma. “The industry is still conflated with gambling,” says Thampy.

Beyond perception challenges, regulatory hurdles have intensified since late 2023. The real-money gaming sector has faced setbacks due to pending tax litigation in the Supreme Court and state-level crackdowns on perceived predatory gaming. Many startups have shut down or scaled back following the 2023 GST notification. However, Games24x7 navigated this period with strong internal frameworks.

As part of Griffin Dialogues, co-founder and CEO Thampy discussed the company’s leadership approach, success metrics, and strategies for operating within a stringent regulatory environment.

Building a Scalable Organization

Inc42: How does Games24x7 structure its organization to foster ownership and evolution?

Trivikraman Thampy: Structuring teams effectively is challenging due to overlapping responsibilities. We emphasize clear ownership of roles while enabling decision-making at all levels. A combination of clear responsibilities and decentralization is key to scaling an organization and creating long-term value for employees.

Early on, I believed I needed to be aware of every detail in every department. But at our current scale, that would be counterproductive. Today, my role focuses on four key aspects:

Defining strategic vision and goals.

Assembling a stellar leadership team.

Collaborating with leadership to create long-term plans.

Cultivating the right culture for sustained growth and innovation.

Effective leadership isn’t about control—it’s about enabling teams to make informed decisions and drive meaningful impact. We ensure that leadership transitions strengthen the organization by nurturing talent deeply rooted in our culture. This is what we call the Science of Gaming.

Expansion and Innovation

Inc42: As a gaming company, expansion is essential. How do you decide what to take on next?

Trivikraman Thampy: Launching new initiatives inevitably comes at a cost, but this cost should never be excessive. Early-stage diversification can be risky and potentially detrimental.

New verticals require leaders who deeply understand our culture. That’s why we prefer internal promotions for leadership roles in new initiatives. This ensures cultural continuity. Additionally, new ventures should have strong synergies with existing businesses—expertise is key to success.

Agility and Innovation at Scale

Inc42: How do you maintain agility and innovation as the company scales?

Trivikraman Thampy: To stay agile, we avoid centralized decision-making. We build strong teams, provide clear direction, and empower them to execute independently.

Collaboration is also critical. True collaboration means offering and receiving constructive feedback. At Games24x7, our scientific culture emphasizes objectivity and a relentless focus on asking why to drive meaningful innovation.

Managing Investor Expectations

Inc42: After raising significant funding, how do you manage investor expectations?

Trivikraman Thampy: With 100% honesty and transparency.

Companies should raise capital when they have clear avenues to utilize it effectively. The cost of capital should be lower than the expected return. Raising funds simply because you can often lead to waste. We prioritize sustainable growth over short-term expansion.

In 2022, we raised capital from Malabar specifically to expand into fantasy gaming, and we’ve successfully leveraged it to grow My11Circle.

Navigating Regulatory Challenges

Inc42: How has Games24x7 adapted to regulatory shifts?

Trivikraman Thampy: Like many tech-driven industries, gaming innovation outpaced regulation, leading to gaps and uncertainty. This challenge was compounded by the presence of illegitimate operators exploiting a booming market.

Despite setbacks, we remained confident because we’ve always operated within legal boundaries. Instead of dwelling on challenges, we focused on diversification, strengthening our tech infrastructure, and deepening our investments in AI and data science to enhance player experiences. These challenges only reinforced our commitment to long-term growth.

Maintaining Brand Identity Across Products

Inc42: How do you maintain Games24x7’s core identity across multiple products?

Trivikraman Thampy: While branding is important, product excellence and culture matter more. Our philosophy, Science of Gaming, ensures user-centricity at every level.

By analyzing user interactions and delivering hyper-personalized experiences, we’ve built a strong brand rooted in technology-driven gaming innovation. Our story is about pushing boundaries in gaming through cutting-edge technology.

The Role of AI in Gaming

Inc42: Do you see AI as a disruptive force in gaming and Games24x7?

Trivikraman Thampy: We’ve always embraced technological advancements. Games24x7 was among the first to introduce mobile rummy and leverage machine learning for personalization.

Today, AI enhances efficiency across analytics, customer service, and branding. Our extensive technology team, including dedicated data scientists, is focused on proactively solving challenges—both current and future. We leverage behavioral science, AI, and machine learning to craft exceptional gaming experiences.

Source>> Inc42.com