KYC, the identity check before the first deposit.

The desk recommends running KYC before the first deposit, not after a winning session. The reasons are mechanical: the KYC review takes time, and the reader cannot withdraw until the review is complete.

Run KYC before deposit

Run KYC before the first deposit. If the platform rejects the documents, you have time to resubmit or to choose a different platform.

Keep the documents current

Keep the documents current. An expired ID or an old address will be rejected. The refresh is mechanical and short.

The platform holds the KYC documents under its privacy policy. The desk recommends reading the policy before uploading. A privacy policy should describe what is collected, why it is collected, how long it is held, and how the reader can request deletion.

Data retention

Most platforms retain KYC documents for a defined period after the account is closed. The period is in the policy.

Data deletion

Most platforms allow the reader to request deletion of KYC documents. The request is processed within the platform’s stated window.

Every licensed skill-game platform in India requires a Know-Your-Customer (KYC) check before the first withdrawal. The check verifies the player's identity and address. The accepted documents are standardised across the major platforms; the lobby will list the accepted formats and the file-size limits.

Identity proof: PAN card

The PAN card is the universal identity document for KYC. Every platform accepts a PAN card; the card must be valid and the name must match the name on the player's account. A PAN card with a photograph, a signature, and a date of birth is the cleanest submission; the platform will OCR the card and ask for a manual review if the OCR confidence is low.

Identity proof: Aadhaar card

The Aadhaar card is accepted on most platforms as an identity document. The Aadhaar is read against the Unique Identification Authority of India database; the platform may require the player to enter the Aadhaar number for verification. A masked Aadhaar (with the first eight digits hidden) is accepted on most platforms.

Address proof

The address proof is typically a bank statement, a utility bill, or an Aadhaar card with the address visible. The document must be no older than three months; the document must show the player's name and address; the document must match the name on the player's account. Some platforms accept a passport, a voter ID, or a driving licence as address proof.

Bank account proof

The bank account proof is typically a cancelled cheque, a bank statement, or a screenshot of the bank's app showing the account number, the IFSC code, and the account holder's name. The proof must match the bank account registered on the player's profile; a joint-account holder cannot withdraw to an account that does not match the player's name.

What the desk has seen platforms reject

The desk has seen platforms reject screenshots that are cropped, screenshots that are too small to read, screenshots that show only a part of the document, and screenshots that show the document but not the player's face. The desk recommends that the player submit a full-document screenshot and a separate photograph holding the document.

Before submitting KYC, the desk recommends that the reader runs through a five-point checklist: name matches PAN, document is current and readable, address proof is recent, bank account is in the reader's name, and the file is at the platform's recommended resolution. The checklist takes two minutes; the checklist prevents most rejections.

Why the desk holds this checklist

The desk has read reader letters complaining about a KYC rejection that turned out to be a name mismatch the reader could have fixed before submission. The reader submitted the PAN as it was on the card; the platform rejected the PAN because the name on the PAN did not match the name on the reader's account. The fix was to update the account name, but the fix took another 24 hours.

What the checklist does not catch

The checklist does not catch a server-side error, a database mismatch, or a regulator-level rejection. The desk recommends that the reader keep copies of every document submitted, in case the platform's KYC team needs a re-submission. The desk also recommends that the reader read the platform's published KYC terms before submitting; the terms list the accepted documents and the review timeframes.

Where to find the published KYC terms

The platform's published KYC terms are on the platform's help or FAQ page; the terms may also be in the platform's responsible-play or fair-play section. The desk has seen the KYC terms on the "About Us" page, the "Terms of Service" page, and the dedicated KYC page. The reader should find the published terms before submitting.

The five most common KYC failure reasons are: name mismatch between the account and the PAN, document photo unreadable, document expired, address proof older than three months, and bank account not matching the player's name. Each failure has a clear fix; each fix can be resubmitted within minutes.

Name mismatch

A name mismatch happens when the player's account name and the name on the PAN differ by even one character, whether a middle initial, a spelling variant, or a married-name change. The fix is to update the account name to match the PAN exactly, or to submit a PAN that matches the account name.

Unreadable document

An unreadable document is a screenshot that is cropped, blurry, or too small to read. The fix is to resubmit a full-document screenshot at the platform's recommended resolution. The desk recommends a 1080p or higher resolution, a full document visible, and the document laid flat.

Expired document

An expired document is a PAN card that has been reissued, a passport that has expired, or a driving licence that has expired. The fix is to submit a current document. The platform will not accept an expired PAN; the platform will not accept an expired passport.

Old address proof

An old address proof is a bank statement or utility bill older than three months. The fix is to submit a recent bank statement or a recent utility bill. The platform will reject the old proof and ask for a recent one.

Bank account mismatch

A bank account mismatch happens when the bank account registered on the player's profile is in a different name than the player's account. The fix is to either update the bank account to one in the player's name or to update the account name to match the bank account.

Timeframes

A clean KYC submission is reviewed within 24 hours on most platforms; a complex submission can take 3 to 5 days. A resubmission after a rejection is reviewed within 24 hours. The lobby will show the current review queue; the platform's customer-care page will state the published timeframe.