Zupee emphasises skill aspect of Ludo, officials say rule tweaks enhanced player engagement

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], August 6 (ANI): Skill-based online gaming platform Zupee has reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing the role of skill in traditional games like Ludo.
At a press conference on Wednesday in Jaipur, Zupee officials, affirmed that they carefully designed tweaks the rules of the game to make it faster, fairer, and more engaging experience, enhancing the game of skill aspect.
Speaking on the platform's evolution, Govind Mittal, Chief Spokesperson at Zupee, explained, "We tweaked the rules of the game to enhance the level of skills needed to play Ludo. In India, skill-based games are permitted, whereas games of chance are prohibited and considered gambling. We picked up Ludo and introduced a few elements to enhance the need for skill."
Among the changes introduced are a shortened time duration to make gameplay more fast-paced, a point-based scoring system based on the number of blocks moved rather than just reaching 'home,' and an innovative 'skip' turn feature that allows players to strategise more effectively.
These modifications reduce the chance element significantly and compel players to think, plan, and act strategically, Mittal said.
The shorter game duration also makes it more exciting and less monotonous compared to traditional Ludo, which can take up to an hour, he added.
Zupee, which was founded in 2018 by IIT Kanpur graduate Dilsher Malhi, has rapidly expanded its user base to over 150 million players.
It offers both free and real-money gaming options.
As part of their commitment to fairness and transparency, Ravi Shankar Jha, Director of Public Policy at Zupee, emphasised the importance of player trust.
"The absence of bots in Zupee's Ludo games gives all players a level playing field. All participants are real people, and that's an important factor in building credibility," he said.
Jha also highlighted the company's proactive engagement with policymakers.
"We have been in discussions with the government, urging them to draw a clear distinction between genuine and non-genuine gaming platforms. There is also a pressing need for legal frameworks that safeguard users' interests," he said.
Zupee officials said they only partner with RBI-approved payment gateways for all transactions.
The platform says that its games demand a high degree of skill, attention, and decision-making, qualities that define a skill-based game under Indian law. (ANI)