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IFSG beings in retired SC judge Sikri as ombudsman

IFSG: In a report from the Economic Times, the country’s self-regulatory body for fantasy sports, Indian Federation of Sports Gaming (IFSG), announced on Monday the appointment of Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri as its ombudsman and ethics officer.

Justice A.K. Sikri joins IFSG as the industry body’s first ombudsman and will be responsible for investigating queries/complaints raised by the users of the online fantasy sports gaming platforms. His role will also include providing strategic council, resolve disputes brought forward regarding binding rules or financial discrepancies as well as steer hearings and make announcements for smooth operation and ease of functioning.

Harsh Jain, president, IFSG and CEO of India’s biggest sports fantasy website Dream11 said, “Justice A.K. Sikri’s association with IFSG is an important development for the industry body. The sport gaming industry is growing at an exponential pace and so is the need to ensure that all operators adopt best-in-class ethical business practices. With Anwar (Shirpurwala) as the CEO of IFSG and Justice Sikri as the ombudsman, IFSG will be able to frame robust industry benchmarks with strong governance protecting our industry’s 8 crore users and 32 operator’s interests.”

An eminent jurist Sikri has served as a former judge of the Supreme Court of India and was recently appointed as a judge in the Singapore International Commercial Court. In his four decade long career, Justice Sikri has held several eminent positions. He retired as a senior most judge of the Supreme Court of India on 6 March 2019. He has also served as the Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and Acting Justice of the High Court of Delhi.

“The sports gaming industry provides an untapped opportunity for sports lovers to showcase their sports knowledge and come closer to their favorite sport. As the industry prepares for the next wave of sports enthusiasts, as a self-regulatory industry body it is important to protect and educate operators & users about the industry and its best practices,” said Sikri.

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