Poker Platform Pocket52 to Shut Down in July 2025

Pocket52, an Indian online poker platform owned by Gameskraft, will stop operating in July 2025.

The company is taking what it calls a "strategic pause" due to tough regulations and the heavy 28% Goods and Services Tax (GST) now placed on real-money gaming in India.

Started in 2018 by Nitesh Salvi, Saurav Suman, Debashish Bhattacharjee, and Satyam Verma, Pocket52 quickly became popular among Indian poker players. The company raised $600,000 in early funding that same year from Speciale Invest and poker players like Abhigya Sagar.

Gameskraft later invested $1.75 million in 2020. According to Tracxn, Pocket52 was making $8.54 million in revenue as of March 31, 2024.

In their statement to Storyboard18, the company explained that despite good user engagement, they need to rethink their approach to grow more effectively and offer something truly different to players. "We remain committed to the Poker ecosystem in India," Gameskraft insisted. "This pause allows us to reimagine what a best-in-class Poker platform should look like."

For current players, important dates to note include May 22, 2025, when the "Add Cash" feature will stop working, and May 30, 2025, when all gameplay will end. However, the app will stay available until July 2025. The company has promised that player funds are safe and can be withdrawn through regular processes that will be explained to all users.

The shutdown won't affect jobs at the company, according to their statement. Gameskraft maintains they're still focused on creating "innovative, high-impact digital experiences" for Indian players.

A Broader Industry Shift

Pocket52’s shutdown isn’t an isolated case—it’s part of a larger trend in India's real-money gaming industry. Companies are either consolidating, pivoting, or exiting altogether to cope with the tax burden and regulatory uncertainty.

Recent moves in the industry include:

• Nazara Technologies acquiring a significant stake in Moonshine Technology Pvt Ltd, the parent company of PokerBaazi, in a deal worth ₹982 crore.

• Delta Corp Limited entering an agreement to acquire Deltatech Gaming, which runs Adda52, from Head Digital Works.

Industry analysts expect further consolidation as smaller operators struggle to remain viable independently in this increasingly complex business environment.