If you're wondering how recent measures aimed at cracking down on
online gambling and gaming in the US will affect the online sports
and gambling industry in general, the answer will probably be found
in a new report from the Irish company Research and Markets.com.
Titled "The Global Business of Poker" the report is written
by Rachael Church and provides an extensive market overview of the
fast-moving multibillion dollar poker industry.
The growth in the poker industry has been fueled by many factors including
increased television exposure, celebrity participation, high net-worth
prizes and ease of online access through broadband penetration.
"The Global Business of Poker" examines the main issues
surrounding the poker industry and includes market overviews; areas
of opportunity; factors affecting growth in the industry such as broadband
penetration, US legislation and other online games; marketing strategies
of poker companies; demographics of players; prize funds compared
with other games and sports; as well as television exposure.
It provides case studies of the major poker companies in the world
and analyses these to determine business models and revenue streams
as well as who the winners and losers will be over the next three
years. It also includes the results of a major industry survey asking
sports professionals their opinions on the poker industry and where
it is headed.
Key findings from this report:
- Poker is thought to still offer the most online growth over the next three years, compared with online gambling and online games.
- Online Poker playing respondents tend to play weekly.
- Offline Poker playing respondents tend to play very occasionally.
- The largest amount of respondents play Poker for fun and to relax or socialize.
- They occasionally watch Poker on television and feel there is the right of amount of Poker programming in their countries.
- PartyPoker comes out on top as the most recognized Poker brand, followed by 888.com and the World Series of Poker.
- Ben Affleck is the celebrity who the respondents most associate with Poker.
- Respondents feel that legislation offers the biggest threat to the Poker industry.
- Nearly half the respondents are sitting on the fence as far as their outlook for the industry is concerned, with 48 percent staying neutral. Of the rest, the majority are however bullish.
The author of the report is Rachael Church who is the Editor of e-newsletter
Sport and Technology and the author of several widely-acclaimed reports
including Sport on the Internet (June 2000), the Global Business of
Sports Television (March 2003) both published by Screen Digest and
Bidding and Hosting: The Guide to Successful Sporting Events (Sportcal,
October 2003). She was the guest contributor to Mediametrie's One
Sport Year on the Television in the World 2003 (May 2004) and co-author
of Mobile Technologies: The Opportunities for Sport (SportBusiness,
April 2005).
Rachael is the former Director of Consulting for the SportBusiness
Group in London and previous Editor of both the European Sponsorship
Newsletter and PACT Magazine for the Producers' Alliance for Cinema
and Television.
She is the former Editor of several financial newsletters including
Emerging Markets Focus, Cash Management Focus, Financial Times World
Accounting Report and Financial Times Fraud Report. She was also Head
of Reports at Financial Times Media & Telecoms for two years with
direct responsibility for a list of over 200 management reports covering
all aspects of sponsorship, broadcasting, film, new media and telecoms.
Rachael has contributed to trade press including SportBusiness International,
Television Business International, Advanced Television Markets, Cable
& Satellite Europe, Screen Digest, Marketing and Football Insight.