As the regulated online poker market in Nevada approaches its one-year anniversary, traffic at both WSOP.com and Ultimate Poker has dropped considerably.
Within the last month, WSOP has seen a cash game traffic decline of 25%, while 10% fewer players have been landing on UP cash tables in the same span of time. The state’s third regulated site that [geolink href=”https://www.usafriendlypokersites.com/real-gaming-becomes-third-online-poker-site-nevada/”]launched just one month ago[/geolink], South Point Casino’s Real Gaming, has failed to average even double digits in player numbers during its short time online.
As of this writing, WSOP.com has a seven-day average of 95 players and UP clocks in with 65. That total of 160, excluding the handful at Real Gaming, is also significantly less than when UP was the only regulated game in town. Following UP’s April 30 launch and until WSOP.com arrived on the scene in mid-September, UP was enjoying player traffic that ranged somewhere between 175-220 cash players.
To make matters worse, a number of other potential sites are believed to be gearing up for a launch in Nevada, which would dilute the player pool even more. Recent reports indicate that PartyPoker and Ace Play Poker still plan on taking the plunge in Nevada despite the fact that the market may already be too crowded.
On the bright side, the interstate compact agreement signed by the governors of Nevada and Delaware last month [geolink href=”https://www.usafriendlypokersites.com/nevada-delaware-share-online-poker-pools/”]will allow the two states to share player pools[/geolink]. Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval said just a few days ago that the country’s first online poker interstate launch may be accomplished as early as this summer.
Speaking of this summer, the 45th annual World Series of Poker will be held in Las Vegas from late May to mid-July. Online traffic will likely get a boost during that time as players from around the world will converge in Nevada to take part in the premier live poker tournament series.
Visitors to Nevada as well as residents are able to access the sites as long as they are within state borders. Poker players being as they are, it’s likely that those who take a break from the live action will log on and play online from time-to-time from their hotel rooms or rented dwellings.
While WSOP.com enjoys a greater market share over UP, the latter has been closing in as of late. It’s not unreasonable to expect WSOP to build a greater lead during the summer months considering the advantage of marketing to players who are playing at the live tables at the 45th WSOP.
