Opinion trading apps, often known as the game of skills, are online platforms where users make predictions on future events and earn money following the correctness of their predictions. These events can vary from sports games and stock market fluctuations to the latest developments in sports, politics, and entertainment.

The platforms are distinct from conventional betting on the grounds of emphasizing the user’s potential to analyze data, news, and trends to construct well-informed opinions. Various popular applications like Probo and MPL Opinio, have found support among users who like information analysis with real-time decision-making.

How is Opinion Trading a Game of Skill?

Opinion trading is a skill-based game as it involves analytical thinking, processing of information, and knowledgeable prediction abilities. It is about informed decision-making from data, market research, and knowledge of real-time events, just like stock trading or fantasy sports. Skill-based opinion trading distinguishes itself from games of chance through these characteristics:

• Analytical Reasoning: Traders need to interpret data to make predictions.
• Continuous Learning: Experienced users improve over time by optimizing strategies.
• Risk Management: Entering or exiting a trade is about a calculated move, not blind faith.

Similar to fantasy sports or the stock market, opinion trading favors those who build insights and use logical thinking.

What Do Studies Say About Opinion Trading?

A study by IIT Delhi states that opinion trading and sports trading are primarily skill-based, particularly when associated with live sports. These are not games of chance, they are about applying news, data, and intelligent thinking to make smart predictions.

As mobile gaming apps expand, more individuals are applying their knowledge and analysis to trade on real-world events, demonstrating that these platforms pay for skill, not luck.

It has also been researched by IIM Indore that participants with a background in finance, current affairs, or statistics significantly outperformed recreational users in opinion trading platforms.

The study identified that results were heavily linked with how much time traders spent on analyzing and comprehending trends prior to making trades.

Further academic commentary has likened opinion trading to market simulation games, where user success is tied to cognitive engagement, not randomness. These studies reinforce the idea that opinion trading is a skill-based activity rather than mere speculation.

Legality of Opinion Trading Apps – The Game of Skill

Opinion trading applications, which enable individuals to predict outcomes of actual events in exchange for potential financial reward, are under judicial scrutiny in India.

However, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has warned that such platforms fall beyond its regulatory framework since the activity carried out there does not entail trading in recognized securities. SEBI has, therefore, cautioned investors that these platforms are not regulated and provide no investor protection under securities legislation.

The Supreme Court of India (SCI) has started hearing cases regarding the legality of opinion trading apps, analyzing if they are a form of gambling in the name of entertainment. The verdicts on these hearings might have important repercussions for the future of such websites in the nation.

The Supreme Court has declared skill-based games as legal under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to engage in any occupation, trade, or business. This implies that if the outcome of a game depends more on skill and less on chance, it is a valid business activity.

In short, although opinion trading apps are becoming increasingly popular, their status under the law in India is questionable. Investors and users must be vigilant and keep abreast of current regulatory updates.

Conclusion

Opinion trading apps are revolutionizing the way one uses information and makes money through predictions. Supported by various research and user behavioral trends, it can be said that opinion trading is more of a skill-based game than a random bet. As legal thresholds expand and awareness increases among users, opinion trading will become a mainstream skill-based activity in the digital age.