Debunking Myths Around Online Fantasy Sports – User Survey Report by Consumer VOICE
In the last few years, Indian sports fans have experienced their favourite sports in a fundamentally new and engaging way. Online Fantasy Sports have enhanced the sports viewing experience for fans-providing a pseudo participation experience, in turn fueling stellar growth for the industry in India which, as per a KPMG report, now boasts over 90 million active users and nearly INR 2,470 crores in annual revenue. These developments highlight the tremendous potential this “sunshine sector” holds. However, Online Fantasy Sports, much like most new-age and disruptive industries, has been met with some apprehension by some consumers and policy makers and concern due to certain myths around Online Fantasy Sports. Given the rapid rate at which Online Fantasy Sports is growing, it is important to understand the impact that the industry has had on users. A better understanding of how users perceive Online Fantasy Sports, and how they have been impacted by them, will help policymakers to create a regulatory framework that not only allows the Online Fantasy Sports industry to grow responsibly, but also ensures that the interests of the consumers involved remain protected.
Against this backdrop, Consumer VOICE carried out a user survey to study the impact on consumers’ engagement and issues of Fantasy Sports on sports engagement. At a more granular level, the survey sought to understand whether the actual user perceptions of Fantasy Sports are in alignment with the myths surrounding the Online Fantasy Sports platforms. The objective of the survey is to ensure that a representative voice of users becomes an integral part in the development of Online Fantasy Sports as a product, its adoption, and attendant regulation. The nearly 10,000 responses collected suggest that users perceive Online Fantasy Sports as a non-addictive, skill-based fair engagement platform which is safe to play and enhances their engagement with sports.
Key Findings
- 88% of the users reported that their interest in sports increased after participating in Online Fantasy Sports contests.
- 81% of the users agreed that by virtue of using Online Fantasy Sports platforms, they have become more aware of non-cricket sports like Kabaddi, Hockey, and Handball.
- 85% of the users agreed that the option of participating in free contests allowed them to participate without fear of incurring any financial loss.
- Close to 90% of the users said that the terms of use for paid contests were easy to find and understand before they participated in paid contests.
- 73% of users spend over 30 minutes researching statistics and other information to make their Online Fantasy Sports teams before a match.
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