The Online Rummy Federation (TORF) Launches #TORFHaiTohSaferHai Campaign

KOCHI:
The Online Rummy Federation (TORF), the self-regulatory body for the online rummy industry in the country, has unveiled its brand new campaign #TORFHaiTohSaferHai with the launch of TVCs in Kerala. TORF has created a Code of Conduct for online rummy operators with the objective of providing fair, secure, and responsible entertainment to online rummy players across the country. In an unprecedented initiative, these TVCs take this initiative directly to the players to educate them about the tools provided to them by TORF certified operators to play responsibly.

TORF will showcase the campaign across TV, print, and digital platforms. Founded in 2017, TORF is a not-for-profit society established under the Societies Registration Act to guide and support the online rummy industry in providing sustainable and healthy entertainment to players across India. It represents more than 80% of the online Rummy players and counts 4 of the top 5 online rummy operators as its members.

Commenting on the campaign and the need to regulate Online Rummy in India, Sameer Barde, CEO, TORF, said: “Online Rummy is amongst the fastest-growing skill games in India. Today, 100 million Indians play online Rummy as a preferred form of entertainment. Our new campaign highlights the true spirit of the game and encourages Online Rummy lovers to play with a sense of responsibility. At TORF, we have worked with global gaming regulatory experts from the US and Europe to design transparent, professional, and ethical operating standards for the online Rummy industry called the ‘Code of Conduct’. We would urge the central and state governments in India to regulate Online Rummy and arrive at a balanced regulatory regime that protects the interests of the operators and the players and meets the government’s objectives. Regulating the industry will help remove unscrupulous Online Rummy providers from the market, thereby generating over Rs. 1,800-2,000 crores in direct and indirect taxes annually for the government by 2025, and create tens of thousands of jobs through direct and indirect employment.”

Responsible Play refers to protecting players by allowing them to minimize or stop indulging in gameplay beyond their means or for excessive periods. TORF certified online rummy platforms are offering responsible play features to the players.
To play responsibly, TORF encourages Online Rummy players to: 

1. Fix and control their daily and monthly deposit limit.
2. Self-exclude and stop themselves from playing if they feel stressed.
3. Check and limit their playtime.
4. Identify and reduce the risks by keeping reality checks.
5. Play for entertainment, and not as a way of making money.
6. Keep a balance between their game time and other activities.
7. Avoid trying and winning it back, should they lose a game.

To assess any risky behavior while playing, TORF also offers a self-assessment test: https://torf.org.in/assessment.html.

TORF encourages its members to conform to a detailed Code of Conduct specifically designed for online rummy platforms. The operators are audited on a regular basis and get TORF Certification only if they comply with TORF’s Code. Key requirements in the Code require operators to enable several best practice, SOPs and technology that results in assisting vulnerable players, prevention of underage players, data protection, a secure online environment, ethical and responsible marketing, and tools to help players play responsibly.