In an era of remarkable expansion in the online casino industry, the surge in players and its growing legal acceptance is undoubtedly exciting. However, this surge has also attracted its fair share of bad apples. Certified operators are beacons of trust and integrity, offering players a haven amidst the industry's rapid growth and ensuring a secure and enjoyable gaming experience.

With this, the role of certified casinos has become more crucial than ever as players try to find the most trusted online casino.

Strict Regulation and Oversight

Certified casinos stand out as safe options because they must pass rigorous verification processes and comply with the highest code of conduct mandated by legislation. These requirements ensure that all casino operations are legal and conducted safely and responsibly. Such stringent regulation and oversight provide assurance in terms of personal and financial safety.

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 Fair Games and Regular Auditing

Beyond the casino's certification, certified casinos go the extra mile to ensure the fairness of their games. They subject their Random Number Generators (RNGs) to scrutiny by independent auditing companies such as iTech Labs and BMM Testlabs. These audits confirm that the game results are genuinely random, following the principles of true RNGs, which do not have predictable patterns.

Additionally, software and game systems undergo periodic audits to ensure ongoing fairness and compliance with regulatory standards. 

Committed to Responsible Gaming Features

Certified casinos are not merely profit-driven; they genuinely care about the well-being of their players. To foster responsible gambling, they offer various features and tools designed to help players maintain healthy gambling activities. These tools include setting deposit and session limits, providing reality checks to remind players of their playing duration, and offering self-exclusion options for those who need a break.

Moreover, certified casinos often collaborate with NGOs to prevent and address gambling addiction. Organisations such as GamCare and BeGambleAware offer valuable resources to players in need.  

Effective Customer Support

Certified casinos understand that customer support is vital in ensuring a positive gaming experience. Serving as the bridge between the casino and players, certified casinos provide impeccable support services. Their customer support teams are equipped to handle issues and disputes professionally and efficiently.

Whether it's resolving technical glitches or addressing player concerns, these casinos prioritise customer satisfaction. Moreover, their support teams can provide valuable insights into gambling-related legal matters, offering guidance and clarity to players with questions or concerns. 

The Impact on Football Sponsorships

Within the world of football, sponsorships play a pivotal role, driving the sport's financial engine and boosting its global appeal. As the online casino industry becomes more intertwined with football, the importance of certified casinos cannot be overstated. Clubs, players, and even leagues have partnered with various online casinos as part of lucrative sponsorship deals. These relationships underscore the need for trust and credibility.

Certified casinos present themselves as ideal partners for such deals, as they carry an assurance of authenticity and reliability. By aligning with such reputable institutions, football entities can further bolster their image, ensuring fans that they're engaging with responsible brands that prioritize the players' welfare and the sport's integrity.

Global Repercussions and The Way Forward

The ripple effects of certified casinos extend beyond individual players or specific football entities; they play a part in shaping the global perception of the online gaming sector. In an age where information spreads rapidly, one negative incident can tarnish an entire industry's reputation. Therefore, by ensuring that certified casinos lead the way, the industry creates a solid foundation of trust and accountability.

Moving ahead, as technology and online gaming continue to evolve, the need for certified casinos will only intensify. These institutions set the gold standard, guiding newer entrants and influencing regulations worldwide. Their presence fortifies the online gaming ecosystem, ensuring that as the industry expands, it does so with the player's best interests at its heart.

Conclusion

Being certified is a clear indication that a casino not only provides outstanding services but also prioritizes the well-being of its players by adhering to strict regulations. When you play at a certified casino, you can rest assured of fair play, robust data protection measures, and the confidence that your winnings will be paid out promptly. Certification serves as a seal of trust, offering players the peace of mind they deserve in the dynamic world of online gaming.

Biopics have become increasingly popular in recent years, with many critically acclaimed and commercially successful films being made in this genre. Biopics mostly cover the entire life of the subject or focus on a specific period of time or event in their life. These films are usually based on a true story and can include real-life events, experiences, and achievements of the subject.

Nothing beats playing a sport in person. But watching sports biopics may just be the next best thing. Here are some best Indian sports biopics no sports lover should miss.

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Best Indian Sports Biopics

10. Budhia Singh – Born to Run

Inspired by a true story, Budhia Singh: Born to Run tells the remarkable journey of this legendary Bhubaneswar-born Budhia Singh, who made history when he ran from Bhubaneswar to Puri, a distance of 65 km, in seven hours and two minutes, that too in 50° Centigrade.

Focusing primarily on the wonder kid’s outstanding talent and not wasting much screen time on unnecessary details, the biopic is as much a story of true grit, courage, determination and tolerance, as much it is an inspiring drama about one man’s fight to spot exceptional talent in a child and make all-out efforts towards making the child a living legend.

9. Jhund

Nagraj Popatrao Manjule’s Jhund is not an outright sports biopic, even though it follows the usual beats of a good sports drama. The film is a commentary on what we as a society can do to help the have-nots identify their plus points and cross the boundary to leap onto the other, brighter side.

Amitabh’s Vijay Borade, modelled on Vijay Barse, a retired sports professor Vijay Barse, who has trained countless street kids in football and formed an NGO Slum Soccer, speaks adequately about it in a crucial part of the film, set in Nagpur’s bylanes, shot wonderfully (Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti).

8. Sand Ki Aankh

Based on the lives of India's oldest sharpshooters, sisters-in-law Chandro and Prakashi Tomar, who come from the Uttar Pradesh village of Johri, Saand Ki Aankh allows us to experience their journey as newlyweds, parents of one child after another, household workers, and people who have been purposeless for nearly six decades.

Despite how much they may dislike it, they have come to terms with the patriarchal values of the culture. The first time they hold a gun in their hands and realise they have a natural ability to hit the target is when they are in their sixties, thanks to Dr. Yashpal, an aspiring doctor who gives up his desire to open a shooting range in the village. 

7. Soorma

This is an inspiring true story of the triumph of the hockey player Sandeep Singh who had a near-death experience when he was at the top of his game but overcame it thanks to his unwavering passion for the game, hard work, and sheer willpower. 

Sandeep Singh, a specialist in penalty corners for the Indian hockey team from Shahbad, Haryana, made headlines when he was accidentally shot in the spine on a train while en route to join the team that would fly to Germany for the 2006 World Cup. 

He sustained an injury that rendered him paralyzed, and the medical community gave him little hope of ever walking normally again. Sandeep, however, not only bounced back from it but also made a comeback and reclaimed his title as the best drag-flicker. In January 2009, he was appointed captain of the Indian national hockey team.

6. Azhar

The movie is based on the true story of Indian cricket player Mohd Azharuddin. The screenplay and direction of Azhar left a lot to be desired, but the one reason to watch this movie is Emraan Hashmi’s performance. He got Mohd Azharuddin’s body language and mannerisms bang on. 

The highlight was the slight bobble of the head and the standing stance that were perfectly reminiscent of Azhar. While the film and its politics were not all pitch perfect, the lead man’s efforts did make this movie worth a watch.

Also Read: 10 Forgotten Indian Cricketers and Their Stories

5. Dangal

Dangal tells the story of the legendary Phogat family of wrestlers, particularly Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari and their patriarch Mahavir Singh Phogat.

With gritty realism, the story illustrates how amateur wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat, portrayed by Aamir Khan, after being forced to give up the sport, lived his dream through his daughters who went on to become Commonwealth Games gold medallists.

Winning a score of awards both in India and abroad, the movie was widely lauded by critics. Dangal is perhaps one of the finest sports movies in India.

4. Mary Kom

Priyanka Chopra pulls off a fantastic performance in the eponymous movie from 2014, based on the life of legendary Indian boxer MC Mary Kom. Portraying her journey as a pugilist as well as her balancing of family and career, the Mary Kom movie was widely praised and recorded the highest-ever opening weekend for a female-led Indian film.

Undergoing rigorous physical training, Priyanka Chopra went to every length to pin down Mary Kom’s style of boxing to where even seasoned boxing enthusiasts will be hard-pressed to pick out any flaws in her depiction of the action.

Even though the film was released in 2014, the story only goes up to her 2008 World Boxing Championships victory. Due to the contractual reasons specifying that the movie only depicts her life until 2008, it left out her 2012 London Olympics bronze medal win.

3. 83

The film 83 tells the tale of one of India's most famous occasions. The nation was still adjusting to life on the international stage when it won the 1983 Cricket World Cup. Although India had been free from colonial rule for 36 years, respect still needed to be earned. 

Under Kapil Dev's leadership, the team that was chosen to represent India in the World Cup in England was more excited about the opportunity to take a paid vacation than about the possibility of winning the tournament. 

The underdogs, who arrived in England without proper transportation, who was denied entry to Lords (the cricket stadium) because it was assumed they would not make it to the final, who were surviving on meager daily wages, who were fighting their own people, and who believed they were worthless, went on to prove to the world that if you believe it, nothing in this world is impossible.

2. MS Dhoni: The Untold Story

The true tale of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Indian Cricket team's world-champion captain who went from being a ticket collector in Indian Railways to collecting trophies.

"MS Dhoni: The Untold Story" is a biographical film that follows the life of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a renowned Indian cricketer, from his childhood in Ranchi, India, to his rise as one of the most successful captains of the Indian cricket team.

The film explores Dhoni's early struggles as a budding cricketer, his determination to succeed, and his rise to fame through a combination of hard work and natural talent. The film also highlights some of Dhoni's most significant accomplishments, including his successful captaincy during the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup.

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1. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (Run Milkha Run) is based on the life of Commonwealth Games and multiple Asian Games medal-winning Indian sprinter Milkha Singh.

Starring Farhan Akhtar as Milkha Singh, the film pulls no punches, as it goes back to Milkha Singh’s early days during partition and charts his upbringing and strife en route to becoming one of India’s most cherished athletes.

One of the finest Indian sports biopics, it's based on the book The Race of My Life, written by Milkha Singh and his daughter. While selling the film rights, Milkha Singh charged a mere rupee, on the condition that a share of the profits goes to the Milkha Singh Charitable Trust benefiting needy sportspersons.

The England Men's Cricket team selection panel announced England test squad for the upcoming second test against India. England are currently leading the five-test match series by 1-0 after winning the first test. The home side chased down the second-highest total of 372 at Headingly to get the lead. 

For the second test, they have brought in their star pacer Jofra Archer, who will be playing test cricket after a gap of 4 years. To prepare for the test return, Archer featured in a first-class game for Sussex.

The second test will start from 2nd July at Edgbaston. 

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England squad for the second test against India

Ben Stokes (C), Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.

India ended the Asian Squash Championships 2025 on a high with three titles in the doubles event in Malaysia. All three Indian doubles pairs won their respective events to make it 3 out of 3 for India. 

Earlier in the day, the Indian women's doubles pair of Joshna Chinappa and Anahat Singh defeated the Malyasian pair of Ainaa Amani and Xin Ying Yee by 8-11, 11-9 and 11-10 to win the final. 

India's second success came with the men's doubles pair of Abhay Singh and Velavan Senthilkumar beating arch-rival Pakistan's Noor Zaman and Nasir Iqbal by 9-11, 11-5, 11-5. 

The Indian pair had lost the first game but came back strongly to win the next two games to clinch victory. 

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Indian mixed doubles pair of Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh made it 3 out of 3 for Indian Squash. They defeated the Malaysian duo, Ameeshenraj Chandaran and Rachel Arnold, by 11-9, 11-7 in the mixed doubles final. 

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Joshna Chinappa and Anahat Singh created history by winning the Women's doubles title at the Asian Squash Championship 2025 at Arena Emas in Johor, Malaysia. They became the first Indian pair to win the Women's doubles in the Asian Squash Championship.

The Indian pair defeated the Malyasian pair of Ainaa Amani and Xin Ying Yee in a tightly contested final by 2-1. 

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The first game of the match was won by the Malyasian pair by 11-8. 

However, the determined Indian pair made a comeback in the second game by winning it 11-9. The final game went down to the wire, but the Indian pair held their nerve to defeat the home side. 

They clinched the title by winning the final game by 11-10. 

The 17-year-old Anahat Singh will also play the mixed doubles final alongside Abhay Singh, which will be played from 4 pm IST on Thursday against the Malaysian duo, Ameeshenraj Chandaran and Rachel Arnold.

In a major step toward strengthening the integrity of grassroots and youth football in India, the Double Pass Development League (DPDL) has announced the rollout of a comprehensive set of age verification reforms for the upcoming season.

The new regulatory framework is designed to curb age and identity fraud — a growing concern that has undermined the credibility of youth competitions nationwide.

Founded in 2019, the Double Pass Development League (DPDL) is India’s largest AIFF-approved grassroots and youth football league. With operations in multiple cities including Bengaluru, Mumbai and New Delhi, and a partnership with European football development leader Double Pass, DPDL delivers structured, competitive, and long-term development environments for players aged 5 to 18.

The new measures, effective immediately across all DPDL cities, aim to ensure fair participation, safeguard honest academies, and promote age-appropriate player development.

The league, which has operated since 2019 in partnership with Belgium-based Double Pass and is recognised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), is among the most structured youth football ecosystems in the country.

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Key regulatory updates

• Introduction of the DPDL Digital ID Card
  Each player will now receive a unique DPDL ID card embedded with a photograph, date of birth, verified documents, and a QR code for on-ground verification. This will be scanned at match venues to prevent impersonation and misrepresentation.

• Two-Season Limit Per Age Category
  In a move to ensure players compete at appropriate age levels, individuals will now be allowed to participate in a single age category for a maximum of two seasons. This rule will also take into account participation in past seasons dating back to 2019.

• Independent Age Verification Committee
  An expert panel will be established to evaluate disputed or extreme cases of suspected age discrepancy. The committee will include senior DPDL officials, football association representatives, pediatric specialists, and documentation experts. Where necessary, advanced assessments such as TW3 bone age tests may be recommended.

• Two-Year Ban for Proven Violations
  Teams found guilty of age or identity fraud will face suspension from all DPDL competitions for two consecutive seasons. The league has also stated that coaches or staff complicit in such cases may be subject to further disciplinary measures.

• Standardised Physical Benchmarks for Younger Age Groups
  For the U7, U9, and U11 categories, DPDL will implement height and weight benchmarks defined by pediatric consultants. This step addresses concerns regarding physical dominance in early age groups that may not align with documented age.

“Youth football must be built on the pillars of fairness and integrity,” said Sarthak Dubey, Founder and CEO of DPDL. “These reforms are not just administrative updates — they are essential safeguards to ensure that honest players and ethical academies are protected. We are committed to building a credible and transparent footballing pathway for India.”

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The announcement builds on DPDL’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its integrity framework, following isolated incidents in past seasons where discrepancies in player documentation and eligibility were identified.

In each confirmed case, the league took prompt and appropriate disciplinary action — including point deductions, disqualification from knockout stages, and temporary suspensions of involved personnel — reinforcing its commitment to fair play and accountability.

With the new framework in place, DPDL hopes to set a national benchmark for how youth football leagues across the country address age fraud.

Note: This article has been created from an official press release