Asian portals are the target for new poker software developed by
CYOP Systems International, according to a press release this week.
The release claims that Asia is fast reaching the critical mass and
interest needed for online poker, and reveals that CYOP Systems International
hopes to become the early leader in the field. With backend CrediPlay
financial systems already localized into traditional and simplified
Chinese language format, CYOP has begun working on the front end game
translations of its poker games.
CYOP quotes from a recent report from IDC Online, which says that
gaming revenues in the Asia-Pacific region will reach $1.84 billion
by 2008. Overall, online gaming subscription revenues in the Asia-Pacific
region (excluding Japan) are projected to more than double by 2008
to $1.84 billion from $760 million in 2003.
"Recent reports have Chinese Internet users spending an
average of 12.3 hours per week online with gaming and entertainment
being the second most popular online activity," said Mitch
White, CEO of CYOP. "Combined with reports that China expects
to have a total of 120 million Internet users by the end of 2005;
a 28 percent increase from the 94 million users in 2004 this presents
solid opportunities."
Should these predictions prove to be correct, China will have the
second largest number of Internet users, after the US.