The current online poker operators in Nevada are set to face increased competition in the near future. This is because no fewer than three new online poker sites are anticipated to launch within the coming year.
888 and Treasure Island (TI) are anticipated to partner with WSOP.com to establish the All American Poker Network in Nevada in the upcoming months. This move is seen as a competitive strategy against the two existing operators, Ultimate Poker and Real Gaming, in their fight for market share.
HDPoker, a wildcard, is expected to be the third site to launch.
The forthcoming expansion, which includes the addition of 888, TI, and HDPoker, is set to double the number of operators in Nevada’s online poker market. This will result in a highly crowded and ultra-competitive environment.
Nonetheless, in competitive markets, victory often goes to the disruptors and innovators. This is why HDPoker might be the one to cause the most stir in Nevada in 2015.
The History of HDPoker
Z4 Poker, a sister company of Gaming Arts – a Bingo & Keno provider, has designed an online poker platform called HDPoker. This platform will function as the online poker room for the Siena Hotel Spa Casino in Reno.
The Nevada authorities have granted licensure approval to The Siena Hotel Spa Casino as an interactive gaming operator. Additionally, Z4 has been approved to manufacture and distribute interactive gaming systems, and also to provide interactive gaming services.
In terms of regulation, HDPoker and Z4 are prepared. The only thing left is to launch their product.
Two years ago, Z4 Poker was established by Eric Colvin, who co-owns Siena Hotel Spa Casino with his father, David Colvin.
In 2011, following the expansion of online poker in Nevada, Colvin saw a chance to innovate in what he perceived as a stagnant industry. Thus, he established Z4 Poker.
Matt Kaufman of HDPoker concurs with Colvin’s perspective, expressing that the current online poker industry has become static and hasn’t kept up with the available technology. “The quality of online poker software lags far behind other gaming types,” he commented. Kaufman further elaborated that Colvin envisioned HDPoker stepping in to fill this perceived gap, introducing a poker platform that leverages technology and visual enhancements prevalent in video games, yet oddly absent from the online poker realm.
HDPoker adapts to the zeitgeist
HDPoker’s launch was postponed due to the dynamic gaming market, which includes the emergence of mobile and social gaming. Initially, it was an effort to shake up and revitalise online poker software, a challenging task in itself. However, it has evolved into something much more ambitious.
Eric Colvin explained, “Over the two years we’ve been building, the success of social games skyrocketed and was impossible to overlook.”
Colvin decided to broaden the scope of his project and include additional features in his software, as social gaming is causing a stir in the gaming industry. “Our client development started to concurrently focus on play money and real money features,” said Colvin.
Kaufman elaborated that the two target audiences show distinct preferences in terms of software, and the company provides tailored services to each group. He provided the example of HDPoker, a social poker app that is fully cross-platform and accessible on iOS, Android, Facebook, Desktop, and Mac.
Two years after initially conceptualizing HDPoker, Colvin’s vision is nearing fruition. Despite being reinvented as a cross-platform product, HDPoker is in its final production stages and gearing up for a beta launch expected in the coming weeks. You can sign up for the beta rollout at HDPoker.com.
After the beta launch, the company intends to fully implement a social rollout in December 2014. This will be succeeded by a mobile launch for iOS and Android platforms in the first quarter of 2015. Ultimately, they plan to initiate a real-money launch in Nevada, projected to occur within the next six months to a year.
Kaufman stated, “The product we initiated from the ground up here in Las Vegas is nearing completion. I believe our game genuinely possesses a modern look and feel, just as Eric initially envisioned.”
A look at HDPoker
I got the chance to try out HDPoker at G2E and I was greatly impressed by its functionality and aesthetic appeal.
As you can see below, HDPoker is certainly a departure from the online poker software your father might have used:
Just one of the 50 available themes is the “Saloon”.
The graphics of avatars are incredible and they offer high customizability.
Kaufman explained that HDPoker was uniquely designed from its inception to work equally well on both mobile devices and desktops, unlike other platforms. He highlighted that most operators either don’t offer mobile products or they simply try to retrofit features of an existing desktop client into mobile versions. He emphasized that HDPoker was conceived as a cross-platform experience right from the beginning.
Upon its release, HDPoker will be accessible on iOS, Android, Facebook, Desktop, and Mac. Kaufman emphasized that nearly all modern devices with any screen size can support HDPoker, with the exception of very outdated ones.
HDPoker was created with the intention of allowing you to play multiple tables simultaneously on your mobile devices. This provides players with the option to tile as many as four tables on a tablet, or use the side-sweep feature to play multiple tables on your smartphone without encountering any formatting or space problems. It’s worth noting that HDPoker offers distinct platforms for mobiles and tablets.
Kaufman pointed out that HDPoker is not only aesthetically appealing but also boasts high-quality 2D visuals. The game features approximately 50 meticulously designed table themes and a plethora of customizable avatars. These avatars are divided into two categories – ‘special’ ones that are unchangeable, and standard ones that can be customized extensively. Players can alter their avatar’s faces, hair, hair color, clothing, and accessories, leading to millions of potential combinations.
At the time of writing, No-Limit Texas Hold’em is the sole game playable on HDPoker. However, Colvin anticipates the availability of additional games when they commence real money operations. He stated, “Not only will we have No Limit Texas Hold’em, but also Limit Hold’em, Omaha 8 or Better, and Pot-Limit Omaha will be ready before the launch for real money.”
Colvin doesn’t foresee encountering any regulatory obstacles. “Our backend architecture sets us apart from our competitors due to its incredible scalability and readiness for real-money,” said Colvin. “Therefore, we believe no significant changes will be necessary when we present our software for real money approval.”
