Privacy Policy

VORTEX eSports ("we," "us," or "our") is an esports tournament organization based in India that operates the Vortex Champion League on the Free Fire MAX platform. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you participate in our tournaments, join our Discord server, or interact with us through WhatsApp, Instagram, or YouTube.

This policy is compliant with the Information Technology Act, 2000 and Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011 (India), and follows GDPR-friendly data practices.

Information We Collect

1.1 Personal Information You Provide

When you register for a tournament, join our community, or contact us, we may collect:

• Full name or player username/in-game name (IGN)
• Free Fire MAX Player UID (Game ID)
• Mobile number (for WhatsApp communication)
• Email address (if provided)
• UPI ID or payment details for prize distribution purposes
• Discord username and ID
• Instagram handle (if provided)
• Device type and operating system (for tech support)
• Team name and squad member details

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you interact with our platforms, we may automatically collect:

• IP address and approximate location (city/state level)
• Browser type and version
• Pages visited and time spent on our platforms
• Referral source (how you found us)
• Device identifiers

1.3 Tournament-Specific Information

For tournament participation, we collect:

• Match results and kill/damage statistics
• Screenshots submitted as proof of match outcomes
• Reports of rule violations or disputes
• Payment transaction references (for entry fees)

Payment Information Handling

VORTEX eSports collects tournament entry fees through third-party payment platforms including UPI-based payment apps, PayTM, PhonePe, Google Pay, and similar services. We do not directly store your full payment card numbers, bank account details, or CVV codes.

2.1 Entry Fee Payments

• Entry fees are collected via UPI or designated payment links shared through WhatsApp or Discord
• We record the transaction reference ID and amount to verify participation
• Payment confirmations are kept for 90 days for dispute resolution

2.2 Prize Distribution

• Winners must provide their UPI ID for prize transfer
• UPI IDs are used solely for prize distribution and are not shared with third parties
• Prize transfer records are maintained for a minimum of 6 months for audit purposes
• Bank details submitted for prize payment are deleted after successful transfer

How We Use Your Data

We use the information we collect for the following legitimate purposes:

3.1 Tournament Operations

• To register and verify your tournament participation
• To create match schedules, room IDs, and team brackets
• To communicate match timings, room codes, and results
• To resolve disputes and investigate fair play violations
• To distribute prizes to winners

3.2 Community & Communication

• To send tournament announcements via WhatsApp and Discord
• To post leaderboards and winner announcements on social media
• To respond to your queries and support requests
• To notify you of upcoming tournaments you may be interested in

3.3 Platform Improvement

• To analyze participation trends and improve tournament formats
• To understand our community's demographics and interests
• To prevent fraud, cheating, and unauthorized participation
• To ensure compliance with our Terms and Conditions

Cookies Policy

Our website may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience. Cookies are small data files stored on your device.

4.1 Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function properly (session management, security)
• Analytics Cookies: Used through Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with our site
• Preference Cookies: To remember your settings and preferences
• Social Media Cookies: Placed by embedded social media widgets (Instagram, YouTube)

4.2 Managing Cookies

You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality. Most modern browsers allow you to:

• View what cookies are stored on your device
• Delete specific or all cookies
• Block cookies from specific or all websites
• Set preferences for certain types of cookies

Third-Party Services

VORTEX eSports uses several third-party platforms and services to operate our tournaments. Each has its own privacy policy:

• Discord: Tournament communication, match coordination, and community management — discord.com/privacy
• WhatsApp (Meta): Direct participant communication and room ID distribution — WhatsApp Privacy Policy
• Instagram (Meta): Tournament announcements and winner showcases
• YouTube: Tournament highlights and live stream content
• Google Analytics: Website traffic analysis
• UPI Payment Platforms: Entry fee collection and prize distribution
• Garena / Free Fire MAX: The game platform on which our tournaments are conducted. We are independent of Garena and their data practices are governed by their own privacy policy.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party services. We encourage you to review their respective privacy policies.

Analytics

We use Google Analytics to collect anonymized data about how users interact with our website. This helps us understand which content is most useful and improve our platform. Google Analytics collects information such as:

• Number of page visitors and sessions
• Geographic location (country/state level only)
• Device type, browser, and operating system
• Pages viewed and time spent on each page
• Traffic sources (search engines, social media, direct)

This data is aggregated and anonymized. Google Analytics does not collect personally identifiable information. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

WhatsApp & Discord Communication

7.1 WhatsApp

We use WhatsApp (+91 6393062931) for tournament registrations, room ID sharing, and participant support. When you message us on WhatsApp:

• Your WhatsApp display name and phone number are visible to our team
• Messages are retained for dispute resolution and record-keeping
• We may add you to WhatsApp groups for tournament coordination
• You can be removed from groups at any time upon request

7.2 Discord

Our Discord server (Vortex eSports) serves as the primary community and tournament hub. When you join our Discord:

• Your Discord username and ID are visible to server administrators and moderators
• Messages sent in public channels are visible to all server members
• Private messages to admins may be retained for moderation purposes
• We comply with Discord's terms of service and community guidelines

Security Policy

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

8.1 Security Measures

• Access to participant data is restricted to authorized team members only
• Payment references and prize-related data are stored securely
• We do not store passwords or full financial account details
• Our platforms use SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission
• Regular reviews of our data handling practices are conducted

8.2 Data Breach Response

In the unlikely event of a data breach that may compromise your personal information, we will:

• Notify affected participants within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach
• Provide details of what information was affected and steps being taken
• Report the breach to relevant Indian regulatory authorities as required
• Take immediate steps to contain and remediate the breach

Your Rights

Under applicable Indian laws and GDPR-aligned principles, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right to Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Right to Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to Deletion: Request deletion of your data (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Right to Portability: Request your data in a commonly used, machine-readable format
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for data processing at any time
• Right to Object: Object to certain types of data processing
• Right to Restrict Processing: Request restriction of your data's use in certain circumstances

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at the details below. We will respond within 30 days of receiving your request. Some requests may be subject to verification of your identity.

9.1 Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy, or as required by Indian law. Specifically:

• Tournament participation records: 12 months
• Payment transaction references: 6 months
• Dispute and violation records: 24 months
• Winner payout records: As required by applicable financial regulations

Contact Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us:

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Significant changes will be communicated through our WhatsApp broadcast or Discord announcements. Your continued participation in VORTEX eSports tournaments after changes constitute acceptance of the updated policy.