BRITAIN DESCRIBED AS 'POKER CRAZY'

6 June 2008

One in four adults played poker last year


Quoting news and rsearch study sources, the Canadian publication Canada Free Press reports that Britain has gone poker crazy, with one in four adults playing last year, one in 14 playing every day and 1 in 7 playing at least once a week.

The article quotes a survey last November from the UK company Mintel (see previous InfoPowa report) which found that poker now gets 40 times the TV coverage it did five years ago. And a third (35 percent) of British poker players say they are playing for the sheer fun of it, choosing not to put money on the game.

The Mintel study analysed responses from 4 000 British residents, discovering that online and land poker have equal appeal. Senior analyst Matt King said .. “The extra excitement and social side are important ... “ Talking about gambling .. Air travellers will soon be able to gamble during flights as airlines introduce on-board casinos. Passengers on long-haul journeys will be able to log on to the internet and stake cash on games including poker, blackjack and roulette.

King was referring to the 888.com deal with Canadian-based DTI Software announced late last year and targeted initially on British airlines, but with global ambitions. At that time CEO Gigi Levy said: “This venture represents a significant addition to our innovative ‘every game; everywhere' offering, alongside our Internet and mobile proposition, that clearly attracts entertainment consumers in more places every day. By partnering with DTI, the clear In Flight Entertainment market leader, we are redefining interactive gaming in flights and expanding even further our global reach.”

King added: “Live games are just as popular as online ones, and it would appear that the extra excitement and the social side of the game is an important aspect for many players.”

Online Casino News courtesy of InfoPowa