Govind Mittal is the Chief of Staff at Zupee, an online gaming company with over 100 million players across India. He believes skill-based gaming is built on trust and responsible play, shaping Zupee’s approach to progress driven by purpose.
Collaborating closely with Zupee’s Founder, Govind, has played a vital role in embedding resilience in growth at Zupee.
As the Chief of Staff, he has worn multiple hats through Zupee’s journey supporting the co-founders of the company. His expertise in regulatory compliance, policy, risk management, legal frameworks, tax, and business finance has been pivotal in shaping Zupee’s robust operational and financial structures. Through fair governance and accountability, Govind ensures that users are empowered to play responsibly and win fairly, setting a high standard of trust and a safe environment for its users.
We interacted with Mr. Govind and asked him a couple of questions to know his thoughts on multiple things. Here is how the interview went:
Q1. How do you define ethical practices within the gaming industry, and what inspired Zupee to make them a priority?
For us, ethical practices in gaming go beyond just following rules-they’re about forming a fair, transparent and safe environment for everyone who plays. That means offering a compliant product, protecting user data and encouraging fair play.
At Zupee, we’ve made ethical gaming a core priority because trust is everything in a skill-based platform like ours. Players need to know that the game is fair, that their data is protected and that they’re part of a community that values integrity.
In line with the regulatory focus and evolving player expectations, we doubled down on these practices. It’s a competitive advantage; we see it as an opportunity – to stand out by doing the right thing. We believe that building a responsible, player-first platform leads to more sustainable engagement and long-term growth, rather than chasing short-term wins.
Q2. What ethical standards or guidelines does Zupee follow to ensure that both game design and player engagement remain responsible and inclusive?
At Zupee, we believe responsible gaming starts with doing what’s right-for our players, our platform and the industry as a whole. That’s why we’ve embedded strong ethical standards into every layer of our game design and user experience.
Fair play is the backbone of our platform. Our games use advanced algorithms to prevent any kind of unfair usage of the platform and our RNG systems are certified by global experts to ensure outcomes are genuinely random. We also make sure that only real players are on the platform – no bots, no shortcuts.
To ensure complete transparency and accountability, the platform is audited by credible independent audit firms, like Arthur D. Little for User Verification Standards. They’ve certified us against the AIGF charter, which lays out clear standards for things like player protection, responsible gaming, financial integrity, grievance redressal, ethical advertising and legal compliance.
We are fully committed to responsible gaming, to enforce this, we have enabled strict age restrictions, identity verification, and features like spending limits and self-exclusion tools so that players have full control of the game play. . Furthermore, we have exercised strong data privacy policies to protect user information. We’re constantly listening to player feedback and improving the experience through active community moderation.
At the end of the day, we’re committed to creating a gaming environment that’s fair, safe, and inclusive-for everyone.
Q3. In what ways does transparency—especially regarding player data, in-game monetization, and decision-making—play a role in building trust with your community?
Transparency is the foundation of the trust we build with our players. We present the terms of use and policies clearly, there are no hidden fees, no dark patterns and we ensure fair refund processes. Our games are designed with skill and fairness in mind. The algorithms are transparent, with outcomes based purely on skill and logic instead of chance or manipulation.
We also give players easy access to their data, from gameplay history to spending patterns, so they’re always in control. Our 24/7 customer support is there to help whenever needed.
Most importantly, we believe in an open dialogue and strive to stay connected with our community. We take regular feedback which helps us improve and refine our practices. For us, transparency isn’t just good practice-it’s how we earn and keep our players’ trust.
Q4. Could you provide examples of how embedding ethical practices has positively impacted your users and the overall community?
Embedding ethical practices has had a meaningful impact on both our users and the broader Zupee community.
We’ve seen higher player trust and retention-when users feel the platform is fair, transparent, and puts their well-being first, they’re more likely to stay engaged over time. This trust also extends to regulators and industry bodies, helping us stay ahead of compliance and avoid unnecessary risks.
Our reputation as a responsible gaming platform has opened doors to more sustainable partnerships and collaborations, which in turn benefits our user base.
Additionally, we have testimonials from players who’ve used tools like self-limits to manage their gameplay and avoid unhealthy habits. This feedback reinforces why building an ethical, player-first platform matters-not just for business but for the community we’re creating.
Q5. Looking ahead, how do you see ethical practices evolving within the gaming industry, and what initiatives is Zupee undertaking to lead this change?
The future of gaming is rooted in responsibility. We’re already seeing a shift toward stronger, AI-driven player protection tools that can identify problematic patterns early, along with more robust regulatory frameworks pushing for industry-wide standards.
At Zupee, we’re committed to being at the forefront of this evolution. We’re expanding our player well-being features, investing in ethical game design and working closely with industry bodies to advocate for fair and transparent gaming regulations-especially in emerging markets.
We’re also actively collaborating with global gaming leaders to shape and promote ethical best practices. For us, it’s not just about keeping up with the industry-it’s about helping lead it in the right direction.
Q6. How does Zupee collaborate with regulators, industry peers, and community organizations to shape and uphold ethical standards in gaming?
We actively participate in industry forums to contribute to policy discussions around responsible gaming and fair play.We work closely with regulators to ensure full compliance with the law, while also helping shape frameworks that support safe and skill-based gaming experiences.
We actively partner with responsible gaming organizations to learn from global best practices and continuously improve our approach. Most importantly, we maintain a player-first mindset-engaging directly with users and advocacy groups to refine our tools and safeguards based on real feedback.
It’s all about building a responsible ecosystem together.
Q7. What emerging trends or technologies do you believe will further enhance ethical practices in gaming, and how is Zupee preparing to adopt them?
Several emerging technologies are set to strengthen ethical standards in gaming. Blockchain, for instance, can bring greater transparency through provable fairness and immutable transaction records. AI is playing a big role too-especially in identifying early signs of problematic behavior and promoting responsible gaming.
As immersive tech like AR/VR grows, there’s also a need to ensure controlled, ethical engagement in those environments and with better digital identity verification, we can further prevent fraud and underage access.
At Zupee, we’re actively preparing for this future. We’re investing in AI-driven fair play systems, strengthening our responsible gaming models and exploring how blockchain can add new layers of transparency. Our focus is on using tech not just to innovate, but to protect and empower our players.
