News

Online poker: the biggest winner during the coronavirus pandemic

Published

5 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

Amusnet Joins Forces with Prominent Affiliate Chipy

Published

3 days ago

March 14, 2025

George Miller

Amusnet Joins Forces with Prominent Affiliate Chipy

Amusnet announces its partnership with Chipy, a leading affiliate platform dedicated to providing comprehensive insights into the online gaming industry. The collaboration will focus on delivering in-depth reviews of the casino provider’s extensive selection of top-notch casino titles to its large-scale of worldwide users.

“Joining forces with one of the most valuable affiliate platforms in the industry brings new opportunities to expand our reach and enhance the visibility of our games,” said Lillya Chatalbasheva, Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer at Amusnet. “We are excited to work with Chipy to showcase our innovative casino titles, especially our standout Coin Gobbler game, and can’t wait to bring even more engaging content to elevate the player experience.”

“I believe that partnering with Amusnet willadd significant value to our content, providing access to high-quality gaming content from a casino provider that is internationally recognized,” said Bogdan Romedea, PR Specialist at Chipy. “This collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission to enhance the player experience and expand our vibrant community.”

Chipy.com provides a comprehensive database of over 2,000 online casinos, exclusive bonuses, and the latest gambling insights. Its mission focuses on maintaining up-to-date information, delivering genuine user reviews, and offering a customizable experience with advanced search filters. Beyond listings, the platform showcases games from top software providers and features over 15,000 games.

As we embark on this exciting partnership, we encourage gaming enthusiasts to explore the comprehensive reviews available on Chipy’s platform. With the spotlight on Coin Gobbler and other exciting Amusnet products, this collaboration promises to elevate the gaming experience and drive engagement in the online casino community. Stay tuned for more updates!

News

ICE and iGB Affiliate Barcelona are in top 5% of business events in the world

Published

4 days ago

March 13, 2025

George Miller

ICE and iGB Affiliate Barcelona are in top 5% of business events in the world

ICE and iGB Affiliate Barcelona have been recognised as global leaders by event industry experts Explori. The agency, which collaborates with over 7,000 global events and conferences across a broad range of industry sectors, has ranked both ICE and iGB Affiliate Barcelona in the top 5% based on their Net Promoter Scores (NPS). This metric evaluates attendee satisfaction and their likelihood of recommending an event to colleagues and industry peers.

Using the findings of research conducted with attendees in the weeks immediately following the conclusion of the historic editions which were the first to be held in Barcelona, Explori calculated a net advocacy of +67 for ICE, up from the 2024 figure of +50, with iGB Affiliate recording an NPS of +68 compared to its 2024 score of +62

Ben Haley, Senior Research Manager, Explori Media Ltd stated: “The transition of ICE and iGB Affiliate from London to Barcelona has been a big success from an attendee advocacy perspective.

“With the Net Promoter Score improving notably year-on-year from +50 to +67 (ICE) and +62 to +68 (iGB Affiliate) both scores over index against Explori’s 36-month rolling tradeshow benchmark for attendee NPS, which sits at +29, and put both ICE Barcelona and iGB Affiliate Barcelona 2025 in the top 5% of events.”

Impressive customer satisfaction ratings were also recorded for both brands with ICE 2025 registering 4.45 out of a maximum of 5 up on the 2024 figure of 4.3. The figure for iGB Affiliate remained constant at 4.46 across both 2024 and 2025.

The research findings have been reflected by the sentiment of major stakeholders including the European Casino Association. Secretary General Hermann Pamminger confirmed: “The European Casino Association (ECA) is delighted to report that ICE 2025 Barcelona surpassed all expectations, showing a new era for this prestigious industry event. We want to congratulate Clarion Gaming for successfully moving the world’s biggest gaming shows to their new home in Barcelona.”

He added: “ICE 2025 in Barcelona showcased a masterful approach to event planning, with strategically separated conference facilities on the first floor and cutting-edge conference technology that significantly enhanced the overall experience. Thoughtfully designed common spaces in front of the conference rooms fostered valuable networking opportunities, allowing industry professionals to forge connections and exchange ideas effortlessly. The choice of Barcelona as the host city proved inspiring, with its compact nature and efficient transportation system making it incredibly easy for attendees to navigate between the Fira and other key locations.

“This perfect balance of professional development and cultural exploration added an extra layer of value to the event, making it a truly memorable experience for all involved. By combining state-of-the-art facilities, strategic planning, and the inherent appeal of one of Europe’s most vibrant cities, ICE 2025 in Barcelona set a new standard for industry events.”

Affiliate Announcements

XSOLLA PARTNER NETWORK ENHANCES DEVELOPER AND CREATOR EXPERIENCE IN MARKETING WITH NEW FEATURES AND DATA INSIGHTS

Published

5 days ago

March 12, 2025

George Miller

XSOLLA PARTNER NETWORK ENHANCES DEVELOPER AND CREATOR EXPERIENCE IN MARKETING WITH NEW FEATURES AND DATA INSIGHTS

Xsolla, a leading global video game commerce company, introduces significant updates to the Xsolla Partner Network, an advanced affiliate marketing engine designed to connect game developers with content creators. These updates enhance the experience for both developers and creators by introducing new interaction tools, expanded data accessibility, and deeper integrations with the Xsolla Rainmaker platform.

The growing influence of content creators on platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok has reshaped game marketing strategies. Developers increasingly seek streamlined ways to discover, manage, and measure creator partnerships. The Xsolla Partner Network addresses this demand by providing an all-in-one solution for creating and scaling performance-based campaigns, now with added tools to enhance usability and campaign success.

New Xsolla Partner Network updates significantly benefit developers and creators, enhancing their ability to collaborate effectively and succeed in their goals.

For developers, the platform now offers:

Enhanced search functionality to discover, compare, and invite creators who best align with campaign goals
Detailed creator profiles with insights such as concurrent viewer metrics, games played, and campaign performance, enabling developers to make informed decisions
Integration with Xsolla Rainmaker data from Twitch and YouTube Gaming, providing robust analytics like streamer views, follower counts, and game-specific performance data for data-driven decision-making
Streamlined collaboration tools, including direct distribution of promo codes, tracking links, and game keys
A flexible revenue share model, allowing developers to set customizable commission rates for creators driving successful transactions

Creators gain access to a comprehensive creator toolkit designed to simplify campaign management and accelerate growth. The redesigned interface provides intuitive tools and features that make managing campaigns, engaging audiences, and enhancing content creation easier. By removing the 50-subscriber minimum threshold, the platform is now accessible to micro creators, enabling them to kickstart their careers.

Additional features for creators include:

Real-time performance tracking, offering insights into campaign results.
User-friendly account navigation, simplifying platform usage.
Opportunities to partner directly with game developers, helping creators grow their audience and monetize their work by driving sales for games and in-game content featured at Xsolla Mall.
Creator sites at Xsolla Mall enable creators to resell digital content, showcase campaign details, collect donations, and share links to all social media platforms to increase visibility.
Overlays, providing game-branded promotional graphics and animations for live streams to boost engagement and drive awareness.
Chatbot is designed to share tracking links and promo codes in real-time chats during gameplay, reward viewers, and engage the community.

With these updates, the Xsolla Partner Network empowers developers and creators to collaborate seamlessly, unlocking new opportunities for success in the evolving landscape of game marketing.

“The Xsolla Partner Network has always been a powerful tool for developers to grow their games and for creators to monetize their passion,” said Chris Hewish, Chief Strategy Officer at Xsolla. “With these new features, we enable seamless collaboration between developers and creators, ensuring both can achieve their goals more effectively.”