News

Online poker: the biggest winner during the coronavirus pandemic

Published

6 years ago

July 13, 2020

The gambling industry has experienced both extremes during the coronavirus pandemic. On one side, land-based casinos and sportsbooks have been hit extremely hard.

The effects of lockdowns, quarantines, travel restrictions and social distancing measures have meant casinos have been forced to close for more than three months – and the financial consequences have been devastating. From Las Vegas to New Jersey, London to Macau – casinos all around the world are posting all-time low revenues.

Similarly, the lockdown of the vast majority of professional sport has seen sportsbooks grind to a halt, with sports betting companies in the United Kingdom and Europe experiencing slumps between 40 and 60 percent since March.

While the return of sport has helped the sector rebound to an extent, the cancellation of Euro 2020 and the Tokyo Olympics have presented other challenges as such major, international events are prime opportunities for sportsbook companies to attract new customers.

However, while land-based casinos and sportsbooks have felt the full force of the Covid-19 outbreak, other areas of the gambling world have thrived.

Online gambling in the United States, the United Kingdom, and mainland Europe has seen a record surge in the past few months as the very reasons that have damaged land-based casinos – such as lockdowns and social distancing – have directly benefited online operations.

For instance, New Jersey recorded record revenues in May for online casino betting, as companies, like BetAmerica, who offers this service profiting from the lockdown. Meanwhile The Stars Group in the UK reported a 92 percent increase in revenue the same month compared to 12 months ago.

While slots and gambling games have seen a major rise during the past few months, the big winner has been online poker.

Three of the four states in the US with legal online poker operations have reported a huge spike in revenues, while the fourth – Nevada – has not released the figures, but one can safely assume that they, too, have experienced an increase.

New Jersey saw online poker revenue jump from $1.57 million in April 2019 to $5.2m 12 months later, while Pennsylvania enjoyed 68 percent and Delaware 48 percent increases when comparing the same two months.

The trends are similar in Europe. In France, for example, online poker revenue is up 44.1 percent compared to the same month last year while UK-based gambling giant 888 has seen its share price surge.

Of all the online gambling games, poker has been uniquely placed to benefit from the current situation.

As friends and family members have been kept apart, poker has been a popular means of socializing. It explains the increased popularity of Poker Stars’ Private Home Games and the rush of competitors to launch similar services.

“It’s only natural. People are stuck at home, they’re bored and even though there are more live poker options starting right now, people are just hesitant to jump right back in because of the health risk implications,” said professional poker player Danielle Andersen.

Then there has been the move online for prestigious professional events which would otherwise have been cancelled or postponed.

It was announced in June that the World Series of Poker – which had been scheduled to take place from May 26 to July 15 at the Rio Convention Center in Las Vegas – would be held online throughout July through to the first week of September.

By taking the 2020 WSOP online, it has also increased the size of the player pool, allowing players from outside the United States to compete for WSOP bracelets.

While poker great Daniel Negreanu said the move online was a “classic case of making the best of it”, it has still allowed professional poker to continue – a luxury many other sports and competitions do not have.

Meanwhile, professional poker’s other flagship event, PokerStars Players No Limit Hold’em Championship, has been canceled.

Aware of the surge in popularity of online poker during these unprecedented times, operators have poured greater investment, marketing, and technology into their poker operations, which will only benefit the game in the long term and help attract and retain more customers.

As life gradually returns to normal, online poker will naturally see a relative decline in interest as millions of people are no longer confined to their homes and professional players are once again able to attend live events.

But what this pandemic has shown is that poker has not only been able to survive under such trying circumstances but has thrived.

Up Next

Casinos around the world cautiously reopen to a new normal

Don't Miss

Growth of Illegal Casinos and Betting Sites

Click to comment

News

LEONBET LAUNCHES A WORLD CUP 2026 RAFFLE CAMPAIGN GIVING OUT A NEW MAZDA CX-3 AND OTHER AMAZING PRIZES

Published

12 hours ago

May 22, 2026

Master Editor

LEONBET LAUNCHES A WORLD CUP 2026 RAFFLE CAMPAIGN GIVING OUT A NEW MAZDA CX-3 AND OTHER AMAZING PRIZES!

LEONBET, Tanzania’s leading betting company known for its exciting odds and daily promotions, has officially launched another major campaign ahead of the 2026 World Cup season, which will officially begin on May 15, 2026.

LEONBET has always been committed to rewarding Tanzanians through different promotions. Before the launch of the WORLD CUP 2026 RAFFLE campaign, the company successfully introduced promotions such as MAGIFTI BAMPA 2 BAMPA, COMBO-HELA, and many others. These promotions are aimed at making sure customers benefit and win every day, which is why LEONBET is known as a company that creates winners daily.

The 2026 WORLD CUP RAFFLE campaign officially starts on May 15, 2026, and ends on July 20, 2026. The campaign aims to give customers a chance to win exciting prizes while enjoying the entertainment and excitement of the World Cup tournament.

Through this campaign, LEONBET customers will be required to place bets worth at least TZS 3,000 or more on any sport to receive coupons that will allow them to participate in different prize draws during various stages of the World Cup competition.

Participants in the campaign will have a chance to win prizes including:

Mazda CX-3
Luxury Ngorongoro trip for two
PlayStation 5 (PS5)
iPhone 17 Pro Max
TZS 10 million cash prize
And many more prizes

The prizes will be awarded during different stages of the tournament, including:

Group Stage
Round of 16
Quarter Finals
Semi Finals
Final

Speaking about the promotion, LEONBET Director Jérôme Dufourg said:

“We are excited to bring Tanzanians this big campaign aimed at increasing entertainment, competition, and winning opportunities for our customers during the World Cup tournament. We believe this campaign will bring happiness to many participants across the country.”

LEONBET ambassador Baraka Mpenja also said:

“I continue to enjoy working with LEONBET because it is a trustworthy company with no tricks. It is one of the best companies in Tanzania, offering regular promotions to make sure Tanzanians have a chance to win. I encourage everyone to participate by playing more with bets starting from only TZS 3,000 to win many prizes, including the Mazda CX-3.”

LEONBET continues to strengthen its commitment to providing reliable and high-quality services to all customers while improving the sports betting experience in Tanzania.

News

N1 Partners Drops Prediction Markets Vertical — Expand Your Traffic Strategy!

Published

3 days ago

May 20, 2026

Master Editor

N1 Partners team has launched a new Prediction Markets vertical on the N1 Bet product, which is a new betting format for real events with simple yes/no mechanics. This is the first and so far the only SOFTSWISS product that works with this niche.

This vertical opens up expanded opportunities for partners: it provides access to a fresh audience, and also allows you to monetize and scale traffic from various sources — from politics and finance to entertainment and show business — as efficiently as possible.

What is the real benefit for partners and how does it work? Read all about the Prediction Markets vertical in the article.

Prediction Markets vertical: what is it?

Prediction Markets is a unique betting format for real non-sporting events, where the user chooses “yes” or “no” to the potential event outcome (for example, elections, the Eurovision Contest, the Oscar Awards).

Users can bet on topics in the following areas:

politics (elections, geopolitical events)
cryptocurrencies and financial markets
technology and business
social trends and global narratives
entertainment and show business

The format is as simple as possible, does not require experience and knowledge in classic betting, therefore it may be of interest to a wide audience.

Why is the Prediction Markets format worth a test?

It is crucial to note that Prediction Markets is not just another feature; it is a unique vertical that gives access to a new, previously non-converting audience.

Reasons to test Prediction Markets:

The threshold for the first conversion is lower than in betting;
Works great with SEO and content traffic (news, trends, cryptosphere, politics, entertainment);
High interest in the vertical during trending events;
Opportunity to monetize an audience that doesn’t bet on sports or casinos.;
It is possible to transfer users to the casino and vertical betting;
Provides a smooth user path within the product.

Moreover, the format is as native as possible — real events constantly create new reasons for returning players, forming stable retention and LTV.

Thus, Prediction Markets is a great way to monetize an audience that has not made a profit before, and with N1 Partners you can do this as simply and efficiently as possible.

Wanna be the first to gain access to a fresh audience? Test Prediction Markets with N1 Partners now!

Scale your results with N1 Partners:

14+ casino and betting brands with high Reg2Dep
10+ Tier-1 GEOs
CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 55% + NNCO for top affiliates

Be number one with N1!

Awards

OLBG recognised in iGB Affiliate Awards for Dorking sponsorship

Published

3 days ago

May 19, 2026

George Miller

OLBG recognised in iGB Affiliate Awards for Dorking sponsorship

OLBG, Principal Partner of Dorking Wanderers FC since the start of the 2025/26 season, has received national recognition after their headline sponsorship campaign was shortlisted for Affiliate Campaign of the Year at the 2026 iGB Affiliate Awards.

The nomination celebrates the leading sports betting and casino community’s collaboration with the Surrey-based club. Their partnership has helped shine a wider spotlight on non-league football through fan-focused content, social engagement and community-led activations.

Alongside the Dorking Wanderers campaign nomination, OLBG has also been shortlisted for both Best Sports Betting Affiliate and Best Casino Affiliate, underlining the brand’s continued growth across the wider iGaming industry.

Since announcing the long-term partnership in 2025, OLBG and Dorking Wanderers have launched a range of initiatives designed to bring supporters closer to the club, including branded fan engagement campaigns and social activations that have generated significant traction online.

Founded in 1999, Dorking Wanderers have become one of the most recognisable names in English non-league football following their rapid rise through the pyramid under owner and manager Marc White. The club has built a substantial national following through viral social media clips and documentary-style football content.

The iGB Affiliate Awards are regarded as one of the leading award ceremonies in the global affiliate and online gambling sector, recognising standout campaigns, partnerships and businesses from across the industry.

This year’s winners will be announced at a ceremony on 2 July.

OLBG CEO Richard Moffatt said: “After winning two awards at last year’s iGB Affiliate Awards, it’s fantastic to see OLBG shortlisted again across three categories this year.

As OLBG continues to grow as a broader sports fan engagement brand, it’s been rewarding to see ideas and learnings from partnerships such as Harry Derham Racing continue to evolve across new collaborations.

It’s especially pleasing to see our work with Dorking Wanderers F.C. recognised in the Campaign of the Year category. We were honoured to win this award last year for our partnership with Harry Derham Racing and, much like that collaboration, our work with DWFC has centred around long term storytelling, helping our partners move closer to their ambitions while giving fans a deeper connection to the sport they love.

A huge thank you goes to everyone at Dorking Wanderers F.C., Bunch of Amateurs and the OLBG team whose energy, creativity and commitment have made the partnership such a success.”