A new bit of research has been released, which indicates that the online poker market is in for a bit of an explosion of growth. The market research done by MarkNtel Advisors, based in New Delhi, expects to see online poker go from $7.98 billion to $37.19 billion by 2030.
This bit of market foresight stems from multiple factors. Much like sports wagering and online casinos, the researchers believe that “smartphone proliferation, increasing internet penetration, AI-powered gaming features, and evolving online poker regulations”.
New tech isn’t always best for poker
While there’s some mild concern around artificial intelligence in poker, especially online, where bots are a little harder to detect, MarkNtel Advisors claims that AI will be part of this growth. “AI-powered gaming features” here are more around security and player engagement.
In a Q&A section towards the bottom, it claims that AI-powered tools are currently powering anti-fraud and gameplay analysis.
For other technologies, like the Web3-based poker sites, it claims that “Decentralized platforms are gaining traction” thanks to their “fair algorithms and cryptocurrency support.” However, in November 2024, online casino operator MetaWin was hacked for $4 million. A few days later, on November 8, CoinPoker was exploited for $2 million.
Current tech is doing a better job
The group also points out that smaller elements of technology not in the Web3 world are contributing to online poker’s growth. As poker apps “hold a 70% market share”, it’s able to use push notifications and integrated “payment gateways”, like Apple Pay or something similar, to introduce a seamless loop of always engaging the player.
Of course, the “smartphone proliferation” and “increasing internet penetration” are quickly becoming the major factors. As MarkNtel points out, in a country like India, poker players have “tripled in just six years” as both technologies get cheaper and more accessible, as well as fundamentally better.
Changes in the US will grow online poker
That also pertains to the US, which holds a 35% market share in poker. As states ease up their online gambling laws, online poker is becoming a hot commodity in the United States. As more states open up options for online gambling, the more the US will see its online poker numbers grow. At the moment, a vast majority of online gambling still goes to offshore operators, which might contribute to inaccurate numbers during research like this.
As for the game itself, it found that Texas Hold’em “dominates with 70%+ market share”. This is in part due to its easy-to-follow ruleset, as well as tournaments.
