Fair Play Policy

This fair play policy (“Policy”), forms an integral part of the terms and conditions that govern the use of Pocket52 desktop/mobile application and website (“Platform”), and must be read along with and forms a part of the Terms of Service for Pocket52 and Pocket52’s  Privacy Policy (“Platform Policies”); and is intended to ensure that all games played on the Platform adhere to high standards of fairness, competition, skill, and sportsmanship. Accordingly, the Policy sets out mandatory standards of conduct that are expected from users of the Platform (“User” or “You”) and discloses, without limitation, specific measures implemented to ensure the aforesaid standards on the Platform.

Nirdesa Networks Private Limited (hereafter, “Pocket52”, “We”, “Us” or “Our”) reserves the right to take necessary actions, determined at its sole discretion, to enforce this Policy on all games occurring on the Platform, and hence Users are advised to read this Policy carefully before using the Platform and/or playing a game on the Platform.

1. Fair Play Violations
   • A fair play violation (“Fair Play Violation”) means any activity of a User that violates this Policy, and includes:
     • activity that uses unfair means to manipulate the outcome of a game on the Platform, irrespective of whether this is in favour of the User adopting such means;
     • activity that is fraudulent, illegal, or unfair activity, as determined by Pocket52 in its sole discretion;
     • activity that is intended solely to transfer funds from one person to another person, or between distinct sources, thereby amounting to money transferring;
     • When any User intentionally loses a hand in order to deliberately transfer his chips to another User (“Chip-Dumping”);
     • External Player Assistance Programs (“EPA Programs”) or Heads Up Displays (“HUDs”) which are designed to provide an unfair advantage to any Users. Pocket52 defines “External” to mean computer software (other than the Platform), and non-software-based databases or profiles (e.g., subscription services);
     • activity that involves collusion between two or more players to achieve a result during a game, thereby amounting to syndicate playing; and/or
     • such other activity as may be determined by Pocket52, from time to time.
   • By registering on and using the Platform, Users agree that they will not indulge in any Fair Play Violation, by any means. Any User found guilty of a Fair Play Violation shall be subject to the consequences set out in Clause 3 below.
2. Prohibited Conduct
   • The following conduct is expressly prohibited on the Platform:
     • use of multiple accounts to play the same game or at the same table, as may be applicable;
     • use of multiple accounts or colluding with other Users to unfairly achieve a collective outcome while playing any game;
     • intentionally losing a particular round while playing a poker game on the Platform in order to deliberately transfer funds to another User;
     • use or availing of any form of external assistance to play a game on the Platform, as User  shall participate in games on the Platform using solely their own skill and abilities;
     • use of unauthorized components, create or use cheats, exploits, bots, hacks, or any other third-party software designed to modify, intercept, decrypt, or mine the Platform in any manner;
     • dissemination or uploading of spam, unlawful content, or any unauthorised communication to other players on the Platform, or employees of Pocket52;
     • use of the Platform as a means of money transfer between persons or separate accounts, or any conduct that may amount to money laundering or other unlawful activities under Indian law; and/or
     • uploading any content to the Platform, or registering a user ID, which is racist, casteist, profane, vulgar, offensive, or unlawful in any manner.
   • Users must ensure that all KYC documentation required at the time of registration on the Platform is accurate and valid, and the submission of any false, forged, or other fraudulent documentation shall invite immediate termination of the Account (as such term is defined in the Platform Policies), along with related legal action.
   • All communication must be strictly pertaining to matters related to the Platform, and Users found to be indulging in offensive or unlawful communication with any person on the Platform may be terminated and barred from accessing the Platform. The following types of communication is specifically prohibited:
     • Vulgar or abusive language, racist remarks, offensive comments about religion or caste;
     • Solicitation in any form by any player via the chat, begging, pestering and causing nuisance of any sort;
     • discussion regarding the purchase or sale of cards, or solicitation for the same;
     • flooding of chat window with recurring messages, or any sort of persistent or constant unwanted communication;
     • advertising or promotional activity, or attempt to promote products or services of third-parties;
     • malicious or defamatory content about the Platform or any of its other Users; and/or
     • revelation of personal details like email address, contact numbers, postal address, etc.
3. Consequences of Fair Play Violations
   • All games on the Platform are monitored for Fair Play Violations, and detection of a Fair Play Violation may lead to the immediate freezing of the User Accounts involved, including the funds therein, until the matter is resolved.
   • Users found engaging in Fair Play Violation may be permanently barred from accessing the Platform, their Accounts blocked, and any funds therein frozen in accordance with this Policy. This includes the Users who profited from the Fair Play Violation and Users who aided or colluded in committing the Fair Play Violation.
   • In the event, We believe or suspect that You have been engaged in Fair Play Violation:
     • We will notify You of such breach/attempt to breach; and
     • We shall have the right to investigate and monitor Your Account and Your gameplay for such period of time as Our reasonable opinion may be needed to investigate such breach. The balance funds of any Users guilty of Fair Play Violations may be frozen for a period of time as in Our reasonable opinion may be needed to investigate such breach. Such investigation will cover all the games that the concerned User has played since the time of registering on the Platform.
     • In the event, We, upon investigation are of the view that Your Account is or has been engaged in Fair Play Violations, then to the extent of the amount which is involved in such Fair Play Violations, We may:
       • forfeit the funds in Your Account;
       • repatriate the amount to the Genuinely Affected User or individuals who have been affected by the Fair Play Violation; and
       • levy a Fair Play violation fee of an amount of up to INR 10,000 per instance of such Fair Play Violation. You agree that such fee is not in the form of a penalty but is a reasonable and justifiable cost, manpower, technology, loss of reputation that Pocket52 as a platform may suffer due to Your violation of the Fair Play Policy. The Fair Play Violation fee may be debited from the funds in Your Account or in the event the balance in Your account is not sufficient to cover the fee, we may raise a claim for such fee against You in accordance with applicable laws.
   • Pocket52 reserves the right to review any game of any User at any point in time, and if any games are found to be in violation of this Policy, then strict penalties and actions will be taken as per this Policy. There is no time limitation on the detection and actioning of a Fair Play Violation on the Platform.
4. Redressal for Genuinely Affected Users
   • For the purpose of this Policy, a “Genuinely Affected User” shall mean a User who is subject to a direct monetary impact during a game on account of a Fair Play Violation by one or more of the other players in that game.
   • Genuinely Affected Users may, after review and confirmation by the requisite risk management team of Pocket52, be eligible for a refund of their buy-in amount for the affected game. Such refunds will be in accordance with the other policies governing the use of the Platform, including those relating to game cancellation and refunds in Clause 3.
   • Genuinely Affected Users must report a Fair Play Violation within 72 (seventy-two) hours of the occurrence, via email to support@pocket52.com or via the help section provided on the Platform. Pocket52’s risk management team shall investigate the reported game and respond with the investigation within 72 (seventy-two) hours. The necessary action for valid cases will be taken as per the game cancellation and refund policy.
5. Security Measures
   • Pocket52 has implemented a 24x7 monitoring mechanism, involving a team of experts and proprietary technology, to review games played on the Platform for Fair Play Violations. However, we also rely on Users to report Fair Play Violations, in order to ensure swift redressal of such matters, and accordingly You are encouraged to contact Us if you suspect a Fair Play Violation during any game You participate in on the Platform.
   • Pocket52 implements anti-collusion measures before and after each game on the Platform which include but are not limited to randomized seating at tables and use of anti-fraud algorithms.
   • Information about the playing cards is always encrypted, thereby preventing any third party from viewing the same.
   • Advanced techniques have been employed to assess whether two (2) or more players on the table are colluding during the game. In case, the system finds out about any such unethical practice happening on the table then an auto-alert is raised instantly.
   • An alert is automatically raised if there are any signs of Fair Play Violation.

Note: This Policy is subject to periodic review by Pocket52 that may result in updates, changes, and modifications, and thus You are advised to review this Policy periodically. 

The date on which this Policy was last updated is June 12 '24.