Online poker in Nevada saw a minor rise in May, indicating positive progress. The full impact of players from around the world being in Nevada for the World Series of Poker in June has yet to be reflected.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board has released the gaming figures for Nevada, indicating overall growth across the industry for the month of May. The total revenue collected from the state’s gaming during that month amounted to $970.3 million, marking an 8.11% increase from the previous month’s $792K. The most significant growth was seen in the Las Vegas Strip casinos, which reported nearly $593 million in revenue, a 17.3% increase from April to May.
The three online poker sites in Nevada reported a May revenue of $862K, marking an 8.8 percent increase from April. The daily poker income for May also saw a rise, with a total of $27,806, reflecting a 5.53 percent increase compared to the previous month.
Slight but Ever-Important Changes for Nevada Market
Though the rise in Nevada’s online poker revenue may seem minor in the broader context of online gaming and the overall gaming industry, it holds substantial importance for the rapidly growing online gaming market.
The World Series of Poker kicked off in Las Vegas at the end of May, with surrounding promotions and WSOP satellites creating a conducive environment for the growth of Nevada’s two main online poker sites. South Point’s Real Gaming is still not a serious player in the market, as WSOP.com and Ultimate Poker continue to contend for market share.
As the month of May concluded, poker players worldwide were en route to Las Vegas. Some of these players established online poker accounts and dabbled with various sites. WSOP.com, the home of the World Series, had set up a unique “grind station” at the Rio. Though it didn’t perform well initially, it showed potential and attracted some players to the online platform. Additionally, a team of WSOP.com representatives were engaging in conversations with those wandering the halls of the Rio, aiming to enlist new players.
At the same time, Ultimate Poker launched its own promotional campaigns to compete, gaining a handful of new players and extra business. Even though these figures didn’t have a significant impact until June, it was May that initiated the surge of energy in the industry.
What to Expect in the Next Round of Revenue Numbers
The weekly average cash game player numbers from PokerScout already show a significant increase, particularly for WSOP.com over Ultimate Poker, throughout June. This suggests that there will be a rise in revenue, as reflected in the June figures for Nevada. Though the specific figures are not yet known, it is expected that they will indicate the most substantial surge in online poker participation in the state since the websites were launched in the spring and summer of 2013.
Nevada disclosed that the online poker industry generated $10.2 million in revenue in its first full year, with $700k of that going to the state. Although these figures are significantly lower than initial estimates, the industry continues to expand.
Over the coming months, the agreement between Delaware and Nevada is expected to start shaping up and yielding results from shared liquidity. If another agreement involving New Jersey is introduced, the latter half of 2014 could see significant changes.
Regardless, the online poker statistics for June are expected to be remarkable, demonstrating the industry’s potential for growth and improvement. The initial summer where the WSOP.com site and live WSOP tournament series were closely linked should yield results that will spark numerous debates about the future of online poker in Nevada.
