MUMBAI: Indian Federation of Sports Gaming (IFSG), India’s first sports gaming self-regulatory industry body, has named John Loffhagen as its president.
Loffhagen’s main responsibilities will involve setting uniform guidelines for industry practices and communicating with gaming rights holders which will help in developing an ecosystem for sports gaming users and operators.
Loffhagen’s expertise in law and working with IMG in London makes him the ideal candidate for IFSG as he spent his early years working on acquisitions and joint ventures in several sectors including football and entertainment, an official release states. His knowledge about the Indian sports market is vast since he played a critical role in the formation of rules, regulations and the governance structure of top sporting leagues in the country such as the IPL and the ISL. His stint with IMG will end soon with the announcement made Tuesday.
Chairman of IFSG and the co-founder of Dream 11, Harsh Jain was pleased with the decision taken.
“John’s association with IFSG is an important development for the industry at large, because his rich experience will aid IFSG as a self regulatory organisation to frame industry benchmarks with strong governance. Today, Indian sports fans enjoy a truly immersive and engaging viewing experience with fantasy sports, thanks to the convergence of sports and technology. It is at this nascent stage that having a standardised framework for operations and best practices in the industry becomes imperative. Under John’s guidance, IFSG will liaise with key industry stakeholders to create a common set of practices and drive self-regulation, thereby protecting user and operator interests.”
Loffhagen himself had a few words to say on his appointment.
“In recent years, India has witnessed an exponential growth in the number of fantasy sports users, making it a popular trend amongst sports fans in the country. An increasing number of operators are now entering the market to provide sports fans with even more immersive experiences. This rising phenomenon presents immense opportunities for investors, upcoming operators and key policymakers to work together towards building this rapidly-growing industry. I am delighted to be a part of IFSG and I look forward to strengthening the buzzing fantasy sports ecosystem in the country.”
The IFSG has 11 members at present that are working in co-ordination for creating the top standardised practices and drive self-regulation. Some of the members include Baadshah Gaming, Vinfotech, Fantain, etc. StarPick, which recently launched its India operations during the IPL season, is the latest to come on board.
