During the last several years it would seem that the game of regular and online poker has appeared about everywhere. You can now find poker available not only on the internet, but of course in casinos, in addition to being on television, available in the bars, and through virtually any media that is imaginable. It even appears in the dreams of some players who dream of hitting a lucky streak and being winners of the big bucks. A recent report coming from Mintel International Group suggests that this is a dream that seems to be fading, or at least for some gamblers.

Mintel International Group is a provider of marketing strategies to many of the world’s leading businesses, using targeted and successful marketing strategies for more than 30 years. They are an internationally recognized market analyst. Currently Mintel International Group has produced each year, in the area of 600 Reports covering specific European, US and UK, markets.

But there is a turn around in receipts for online gambling sites since the incredible growth of 72%, during the period between 2004 and 2007 since the forecast for 2009 shows and implosion predicting that there will be a further 7 percent fall in gross gaming yield down to £247 million, which is a significant drop compared with a yield of £265m for 2008.

Matt King, who is the senior leisure analyst for Mintel International Group says that it is obvious that poker revenues have clearly peaked. The most obvious cause of this would be the current, creating a situation where approximately one third of all poker players are presently playing less often and when they play they are playing for lower stakes and all because of the economic downturn. During the past two years there has been a drop of about 20 percent per year in spending on the average. These are changes in consumer traits that are closely linked to the recession. One of the gaming analysts at Collins Stewart, Paul Leyland, commented on this trend when he said that the problem that is inherent with poker, as opposed to other types of gambling, is the need for large numbers of players to make it work. You can’t just focus on high rollers, as you might with a sports book or a casino. He says that having some higher rollers playing isn’t enough to make it work. Included however, are other problems in the gambling industry that are affecting the poker economy. For example, there is the need for leisure time and people seem to be busier than usual during the difficult times.

Some sources are reporting that the apparent slowdown affecting poker is only temporary and not able to have any overall affect on what is in fact an unstoppable trend.

Posted on: December 10, 2009

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