November 24, 2009 - Apparently, the
UK online
poker industry isn't doing as well as it once was. At least
that's what the analysts are saying. But wait just a darn-tootin'
second! Not everybody thinks it's accurate to say the UK
online poker boom has fizzled out. And just who are these
analysts anyways?
Well, according to the market research firm, Mintel, the
numbers speak for themselves and online poker revenue is
indeed beginning to subside. And no, Mintel is not a
middle-aged, overweight card shark. Mintel is the
internationally reputed consumer, media and market research
company that got it's digs researching food and drink market
trends back in 1972. Founded in London, Mintel now operates
offices in Chicago, Australia and China, bringing in over
500,000 group website hits per month and stealing over
10,000 press mentions every year.
In other words, blowing off Mintel's market analyst is
not like blowing off Sarah Palin's new book "Going Rogue".
However, according to a recent eGaming Review Magazine op-ed
blog post by online poker affiliate and former Party Poker
room manager, Bill Rini, Mintel's analysis leaves out
several key points and is too quick to say that online poker
has subsided in the UK.
Here's the thing. Mintel is not necessarily saying the UK
poker room boom is over. They have simply reported numbers.
Others within the online gambling industry - the likes of
gaming news editors - are opining these numbers are
"suggesting" the boom is over.
Rini, on the other hand, says the industry is contracting
more so than it is subsiding. For all you illiterates like
myself, this means that while the industry continues to
grow, business is simply being consolidated. The big online
poker rooms are doing more business while the smaller guys
are doing less. It's the same thing you often see happen in
the retail market, and Rini gets his point across by
comparing this analysis to interviewing a few local shops
(leaving out the big giants like Wal-mart and Home Depot),
and deducing that retail is down overall.
If you ask me, it's a good point. Mintel's numbers do not
even include the amount of online poker traffic that is
brought in by the likes of
Poker Stars and Full Tilt, which
being privately owned company's, are not required to report
financial results. There's absolutely nothing to refute the
possibility that UK online poker players are leaving
brand-name UK poker sites like Will Hill and Ladbrokes to
throw down cards at Poker Stars. In fact, considering the
popularity and size of Poker Stars (more online players than
any other poker room), this is a very good probability. So,
while overall business with publicly traded UK online poker
rooms is down a bit, that doesn't mean UK bettors are
playing less online poker.
Originally published:
November,
2009 | Categories:
Online Poker
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