Anurag Dikshit, with net worth of $1.6 billion, spearheaded the development of technology that helped in the launch of the online poker boom. He co-founded PartyGaming, which owns PartyPoker.com, with a college roommate. PartyPoker stock is off its 2005 high, since US lawmakers cracked down on online gaming, but Dikshit still has plenty of chips, Forbes said.
That was good enough to get him on the Forbes 15 Richest Young Asians.
Pointing out that Asia is home to the world's fastest growing population of the wealthy, Forbes said India is keeping pace in the money race.
India's millionaires jumped 23 per cent last year. The billionaire count soared to 53 from 36 the previous year,' the business magazine said.
India, which boasts a competitive demographic advantage of young population, is represented by six people under 40 with a cumulative worth of $8.3 billion in the Forbes' list released Wednesday.
Dikshit is one of a handful of online gambling billionaires who have appeared on the coveted Forbes Billionaire list in recent years. In 2006, Bodog founder, Calvin Ayre, appeared on its cover. Since that time, Ruth Parasol, another PartyGaming co-founder who appeared on the list in 2006, and Ayre have been unable to enter the US out of fear from government prosecution. Parasol and her husband have been in talks with the US government in an effort to ensure they will not undergo future prosecutions.
PartyGaming's PartyPoker brand has lost significant ground in the overall market in the last two years. The one time largest online poker room in the world is now trying to maintain its 4th place position. PokerStars assumed the role of number one online poker room in terms of overall real cash customers.
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Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
