In the second quarter of 2020 alone, the percentage of gross revenue from online gaming increased by 20% compared to the previous year’s period. Casinos were one of the sectors that increased their values the most, specifically through online poker. Currently, this card game is gaining a lot of popularity over other types of games. Experts explain why.
Online poker has become one of the most popular games for internet users. Every year poker adds thousands of new players who try any of the different types of games that exist, such as Texas Hold’em and Omaha or 5 Card Draw and Seven Card Stud, among others.
Online poker, as the pros point out, has the advantage of being very similar to the original game, the one played in casinos or at friends’ poker tables at home.
The only difference compared to other games is that there is no need to leave home to play the games or participate in tournaments. “The convenience of not having to leave your home to play online poker makes it much more attractive to many players,” say the experts.
For the developers of the PokertimeClub.com application, which focuses on this card game, “online poker has many more advantages than traditional poker. This makes players opt directly for the online version”.
Experts are aware that not everyone has the desire or the opportunity to go to an online casino. Moreover, in the online version, as is the case with the poker application developed by the company, players can play their games at any time they want, which is not the case in casinos.
A successful year for the gaming industry and online poker growth
The online gaming sector was one of the most profitable sectors during 2020 in Spain. It moved more money and more players, surpassing the total of 1.4 million active users. In addition, it represented a 15% increase in gaming operators’ revenues for the whole year, as can be deduced from the annual gaming market report of the Directorate-General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ).
As the reports indicate, there were at least 8.36% more players, compared to 2019, totaling approximately 1,481,804 million active. The studies show that poker is one of the games with the highest growth in 2020, obtaining a rate of change compared to 2019 of 35.7%.
This overall variation can be deduced from the increase in tournament poker of 45.30% – the most popular – and cash poker, which increased by 18.13%. The study also shows that deposits and withdrawals are on an upward trend compared to 2019.
For poker experts, one of the reasons for this exaggerated growth in the above-mentioned values also has to do with the pandemic situation during the year, which caused many players to make the leap to online poker. “Many casinos had to close their doors, which is why poker players opted to experiment online.
Moreover, this is a trend that continues to this day,” they report. Another reason why online poker is one of the fastest-growing sectors, the professionals’ reason, may also be due to companies’ marketing spend. In fact, as reflected in the report of the Directorate General of Gaming Regulation, this was 24.23% higher than during the previous year, with a total of 462.12 million euros. The bonuses released to play poker also increased by 52.94%.
Online poker, all advantages over traditional poker
Among the main reasons why online poker has become popular and continues to grow today is also the number of advantages it offers over traditional poker. The comparison portal Subgurim, an expert in product comparisons, poker, and many other subjects, explains that this card game has many more advantages over the original, or traditional, game.
“In online poker, you can always have at your fingertips everything you need to check the data you are interested in knowing. For example, what are the types of straights, what are the values in poker, what is the player’s chip, what are the odds of having a winning hand, outs and odds…”, they comment.
For poker experts, the main advantages of online poker over face-to-face are the convenience of playing from home, but also the opportunity to participate in several games simultaneously, as is the case with multi-tabling; and not only that, other reasons are that the game is more entertaining and the action is faster.
“This allows you to play more hands in fewer hours and increase your winnings or chances of getting a good hand. Plus, you won’t get bored until it’s your turn,” they point out. Among the highlights is also the possibility of being able to review all the decisions made and even request the history of the hands.
“There are applications that are of great help to players to review hands and know the probabilities of success, as well as to monitor your game and that of your opponents in general,” they point out.
In general, online poker has a wider appeal because of its flexibility and variety of options. There are always online poker games, the game modes are more varied, there are many tables and clubs to play at, and you can take advantage of welcome bonuses from different bookmakers, the experts conclude.