New-age affluent Indians value personalisation, status, and meaning over luxury: Arindam Basu

We caught up with Delta Corp's VP - marketing and communications to understand India's luxury gaming and hospitality space and more...

Riya Sethi

Aug 13, 2025, 11:06 am

Arindam Basu

With the Indian luxury gaming and hospitality sector seeing steady growth, driven by rising disposable incomes, tourism, and evolving consumer preferences, the industry is entering a new phase of opportunity.

Deltin, a flagship of Delta Corp, which operates casino and resort properties across the country, has been instrumental in shaping the organised gaming landscape. Offering a blend of entertainment, hospitality, Deltin has carved a strong presence for itself to redefine the luxury gaming space in the country.

We caught up with Arindam Basu, vice president - marketing and communications, Delta Corp, to understand the current luxury gaming space in the country, Deltin's journey, its marketing approach and future.

“Today’s affluent Indian travelers seek more than just luxury—they want personalisation, status, and meaningful experiences. Our storytelling reflects this by blending global standards with Indian cultural warmth. Deltin pioneered luxury casino gaming in India. We position Deltin experience alongside global icons like Las Vegas, Macau, and Monaco - the stalwarts of casino gaming, while staying rooted in Indian hospitality. We ensure our guests feel both globally pampered and culturally at home. We also focus on creating defining moments through exclusive, curated events; celebrity encounters, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and immersive entertainment. In 2024 alone, Deltin hosted over 150 such events, attracting global guests,” he stated.

Holding a world record of hosting 45 nations together for an event under one roof, Deltin owns and operates casinos and hotels in Goa, Sikkim, and Daman.

“At Deltin, we offer more than experiences; we offer a sense of belonging. Our loyal guests and patrons are welcomed into The Deltin Life - an exclusive world that represents more than a destination; it's a lifestyle of adventure, glamour, indulgence, and trust. We craft multisensory journeys by seamlessly blending gaming, gastronomy, nightlife, and entertainment into one immersive experience. Personalisation is a crucial aspect of the experience within Deltin. Through the Deltin One app and advanced guest management systems, we recognise our guests’ individual preferences and tailor every detail accordingly.”

Basu highlights that personalised experiences and innovative storytelling are at the heart of Deltin’s strategy, helping the brand build lasting emotional connections with its guests.

“We portray our stories to the world through immersive videos, influencer partnerships, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content shared across social platforms; connecting aspirations with experiences. For India’s new-age affluent, Deltin isn’t just about playing the game; it’s about living the dream, one only Deltin can deliver with its scale, service, and sophistication,” he added.

Deltin recently collaborated with Solitario for the Deltin Star Weekend - Diamond Edition, held at Deltin Royale, Goa, from 17-20 April 2025.

“Brand collaborations should go beyond mere transactions; they must be meaningful, purposeful, and elevate both brands in multiple dimensions. For our Deltin Star Weekend Diamond Edition, we partnered with Solitario, aligning perfectly with our philosophy of delivering world-class, indulgent experiences. As the event’s exclusive bling partner, Solitario complemented Deltin’s commitment to opulence, immersive entertainment, and unparalleled thrills. This collaboration was a meaningful and highly successful integration, enhancing the brand presence within our venue,” Basu stated.

Deltin’s first casino started operations in 2008, a time when casino gaming in India was a very nascent stage in the country, and the landscape was completely different.

“There was a very dark association casinos had through Bollywood movies and other portrayals of casinos in India. But over the two decades, it has changed completely. Today, people are well-traveled and recognise casinos as lively, vibrant places to enjoy unforgettable moments, much like any other game or sport. Winning or losing is secondary; the experience is what matters. Now, casinos worldwide, including Deltin, blend gaming with other entertainment like fashion shows, celebrity events, comedy, and more, creating a family-friendly atmosphere where adults game and kids enjoy food and live entertainment,” Basu explained.

From a marketing perspective, Basu mentioned that Deltin follows a very balanced approach and employs a healthy mix of digital, non-digital, and experiential mediums.

He noted, “To effectively engage our target audience, we use a mix of traditional and digital marketing tactics. We value conventional channels like print ads, billboards, retail activations, and direct communications, while also actively investing in digital platforms such as social media, pay-per-click, SEO, influencer content, and celebrity collaborations. Our marketing is personalised using CRM tools and data analytics to tailor offers and promotions to individual preferences. We also leverage marketing automation throughout the customer journey. On the experiential side, we organise numerous curated events annually to showcase the Deltin lifestyle. Additionally, we incorporate advanced technologies like CGR, augmented reality, virtual reality, and AI to enhance the experience and introduce new elements. These form the core of our marketing and communications strategy. 40% of the marketing budget goes into digital mediums and 60% into conventional mediums and experiential.”

Catering to both avid gamers and regulars to casino-gaming experience seekers, Deltin offers two loyalty programs to its patrons- Club Deltin and Deltin Select.

“Novelty and exclusivity are very inherent to us. We offer specific benefits under these programs. Every time one comes in, they will find something new happening,” Basu added.

Sharing what lies ahead for Deltin, Basu concluded, “As early movers in gaming, entertainment, and hospitality with strong management, we are well-positioned to sustain market leadership. With rising domestic tourism, improved infrastructure, and higher incomes, we expect significant growth in visitors. Soon, Deltin will replace its existing floating casino with a larger, more unique one, boosting our capacity and growth potential.”

Source: MANIFEST MEDIA

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