ROOM FOR EXPANSION IN UK ONLINE POKER MARKET

9 November 2007

New survey says only 23 percent of Brit online punters have tried poker


With the continued popularity of the game, one would expect a significant percentage of Internet gamblers to have tried online poker, but a recent survey of 3 822 Internet players of 18 years and over indicates that a surprisingly low 23 percent have tried poker in the last 12 months, leaving room for expansion.

The survey by market analyst Mintel showed that one reason for the low usage is that many punters do not feel proficient enough on rules to risk real money.

The survey revealed that only 23 percent of 3 822 respondents had played poker in the past year. And of those who did play poker online, most seem to participate infrequently, with only 7 percent playing daily and 14 percent at least once a week.

Half of those surveyed had watched the game on television, with 20 percent citing television coverage of poker events as the reason they decided to play. The amount of poker shown on the box has risen dramatically in recent years, from 13 hours in 2001 to nearly 540 hours last year.

Matt King, Mintel's senior leisure analyst, said poker was perceived as one of the "coolest" and trendy forms of gambling. "The popularity of poker has soared in recent years as the game undoubtedly has an element of cool lacking from many other forms of gambling," he said. "The growing television coverage has also played a key role."

35 percent of the poker players surveyed took part just for the fun of it, without gambling any money, according to the Mintel report.

King said that statistics suggested many newcomers to the game were still unsure of the rules and strategies involved. "For the industry, it is clearly not ideal that so many players do not play for real money. But it does highlight that people do still feel intimidated by the game and that potential gamers are reluctant to dive straight in without having a chance to figure out the basics first. Once they have grasped [the rules] of the game, they are then more likely to put their money down."

Mintel concludes that the Gambling Act 2005 has presented the poker industry with opportunities for continuing growth, such as permitting casinos and online gambling websites to advertise in the UK, and allowing poker to be played in pubs. This suggests that with more people playing the game, the industry could be in 'rude health' as more players decide to play for real money.

The survey found that online poker in the UK is now as popular as playing at home with friends - both activities attracted 14 percent of the players questioned. But 34 percent of respondents opined that live games still hold the edge over online action, despite million dollar tournaments now available through the Internet.

"It would appear that the extra excitement and the social side of the game is still an important aspect for many players," said King.

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