Soft Target
Media companies are keen to capitalise on America’s online betting ban
In the United States there are media companies targeting soft gaming products at the ethnic Asian population, which currently stands at around 13.5 million people, or 4.43% of the total, according to the CIA World Factbook.
Any US-delivered content would need to avoid falling foul of the federal government’s ban on Internet gambling. Nonetheless a business model adopting subscription-based games or play for fun with advertising and aimed at Asian players could be an interesting alternative to offshore online gaming products.
Target business
In August last year the Indian media business Reliance Entertainment reported it was trying to buy a US company specialising in mobile phone-delivered game content.
Reliance, part of the Reliance Group headed by the Indian entrepreneur Anil Ambani, said it was tracking the target company via Reliance’s US vehicle Jump Games, based in Chicago.
A company spokesman said the idea was to provide content including animated games, to US telecoms companies, with a particular focus on appealing to non-resident Indians and Asians living in the US.