Introduction
Poker is the most popular card game worldwide, seconded only by blackjack. Maybe. Poker has been in movies, novels, academic papers, and, eventually, in the news. Although Hollywood and novelists do have their fair share of responsibility for introducing the game to a broader audience, the internet is taking poker to an ever wider public.
In this article, we’ll talk about the growth of online poker over the years. We’ll also try to have a glimpse of what the future looks like for this niche.
Hi-Lo
The steep increase in the number of professional poker tournaments gives us a clue about what’s going on in the amateur levels. More people are interested in learning how to play: the rules, the strategies, the math behind it. Since 2020, the numbers of players playing online poker have been increasing .
Poker is a mandatory presence in any casino, online or otherwise. It’s true that this game never needed a casino to survive. Still, the rise of online casinos has surely contributed to this new infusion of fresh players on the table. Those who want to will find plenty of material on the internet; in blogs, videos, PDFs, and books there is a wealth of material available both on and offline.
In fact, there are lots of new enthusiasts joining the game. The number of new players has .
The Next Turn
The poker industry is following a broader rising trend of the online gambling industry. Likewise, poker players benefit greatly from faster internet and better devices, especially mobile ones. Here are some tendencies we’re likely to see explored this year.
Live Poker
Live dealer games are responsible for nearly half of online casino customers. Poker isn’t different. Texas Hold’em remains the most popular variation of the game, but there are live dealer versions of less popular variations, too. These include 2 Hand Casino Hold’em, Caribbean Stud, and Omaha. Developers like Pragmatic Play and Evolution Gaming are established top providers for live games. Those developers also offer exclusive versions of the game.
Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality (VR) is the latest word in immersive gaming. This technology’s been available for video games for a while, and only recently, have online casinos started paying attention to it. VR glasses are still expensive but are getting cheaper. Besides, it seems we finally have the internet to make such a structure work, without lags and glitches. Once VR glasses get more available and 5G is fully working, VR casinos and VR poker rooms will come to reality.
More Competition
With the market rise, there comes competition. Online gambling is now a multi-billion-dollar market, and gaming industry entrepreneurs are well aware of it. It means more platforms are likely to come up to grab their share of the market. Likewise, more players are likely to join the scene through one of the many tournaments going around.
Mobile Poker
Since 2020, more poker mobile apps are hitting the main app stores. Mobile poker is already very popular, and the demand for more apps points to an upward trend. There are countless apps for Android, iOS, and Windows Phone.
Crypto poker
Cryptocurrencies fit naturally in any space of the online gambling world. There are even some casinos operating only with cryptos already. More platforms are accepting cryptos, and not only Bitcoins but also the less-visited ones.
Free Games for Real Cash
Everybody loves free cash. Although, here it isn’t exactly free, since one must win the competition to get it. However, there’s an increasing number of “no-deposit” tournaments, where there’s no buy-in, but the prizes are very real. Online casinos holding such events are funded by the ads displayed during the tournament.
Poker on TV
Live streaming is becoming a thing among poker fans when it comes to poker tournaments. Most competitions are broadcast on Twitch, Facebook, and YouTube. PokerStars TV and WSOP.com also air their most important tournaments. As competitions grow in number and importance, we can expect more high-level tournaments to be broadcast on our screens.
Conclusion
Poker has never ceased to attract scores of new enthusiasts from every generation. Yet, the game enjoys more popular now than ever before, thanks to the internet, mobile devices, and aired competitions. Moreover, there’ll always be new strategies and techniques for this game, ensuring that it will never get old. Online platforms constantly strive to provide the most realistic experiences. So, all trends and technologies seem to point in this direction.