The most recent annual report from the UK Gambling Commission reveals that online poker has been slowing down due to players moving over to other forms of online gambling. Mobile slots, in particular, have been soaking up online gaming net revenue.
According to UKGC’s report, online poker generated $136 million for the period from April 2016 to March 2017, representing only a little more than 5% of Gross Gambling Yield (GGY). During the same time, online slots generated $2.2 billion while sports betting added $2.5 billion to the entire UK gambling industry. While poker is still showing overall growth, the numbers suggest that it will soon be more of a niche.
Online poker has been struggling to appeal to the masses because of its steep learning curve and a large number of skilled players. For newbies and amateurs, it’s hard to get their foot in the door because experienced players are often looking for “easy tables” to cash in. Poker sites have been taking preventive steps by introducing fast-fold poker or eliminating the ability to choose seats at cash tables.
Another challenge that online poker sites are facing is mobile casinos. Most online casinos see that more than 70% of their players use their phone or tablet to enjoy slots and table games and the number keeps growing. The stats suggest that people start enjoying to play online on-the-go whether it’s on their way to work, during the lunch break or on the couch during TV commercials.
Now, Poker, on the other hand, is a lengthy strategic game that requires a real commitment from the player. In today’s fast-paced world, this is a real challenge as people are busy and the online gaming world offers a wide variety of alternatives, such as incredible slot games but also shorter video poker games.
