For the first time in its 14-month history, online poker revenue in Nevada surpassed the seven-figure mark in June, marking a significant increase. The revenue numbers were up significantly, demonstrating a 20% increase month over month.
The online poker industry in Nevada certainly benefited from the World Series of Poker and the influx of global poker players in June. A similar, albeit likely less significant, boost in numbers can be expected for July as the WSOP continued its run during the first half of the month, culminating in the Main Event.
In June, Nevada’s online poker revenue reached $1,037,000, a 20% month over month increase from May’s $862,000. The figure is even more notable given that June has one day less than May. Below is a comparison of the daily earnings for both months:
- May’s daily intake = $27,806
- June’s daily intake = $34,566
Considering this, daily intake in Nevada increased by approximately 25% in June.
However, it’s not always smooth sailing. Issues will emerge when the August revenue figures are published in September, returning to their usual levels.
Traffic trends
During the World Series of Poker tournament series, WSOP.com in Nevada experienced a surge in traffic, reaching up to 150 average cash game players, as per pokerscout.com. This was due to Caesars Entertainment’s cross-promotion efforts as they attempted to integrate their live and online offerings for the first time.
As anticipated, the number of players swiftly decreased back to 110 once the WSOP departed the town – though overall Nevada traffic has increased compared to the months prior to the WSOP.
The downside of the WSOP-induced surge in Nevada is that mainstream media might just report on the subsequent decline, without delving into the reasons behind it. As the state’s figures normalize, this may be misconstrued as a downward trend in online poker, when in reality, it’s merely a return to the pre-WSOP revenue numbers recorded in May.
Advocates for online gambling and the poker world must enlighten regulators, lawmakers, and the general public that the online poker revenue figures of Nevada during the World Series of Poker are anomalies that cannot be duplicated at any other time of the year. The WSOP can be likened to the retail industry’s Black Friday sales that occur post-Thanksgiving.
Nonetheless, there are also possible factors that could prevent the numbers from decreasing too drastically.
Nevada’s interstate agreement could help
The expected interstate agreement with Delaware could potentially increase Nevada’s revenue numbers in the coming weeks to months.
Nevertheless, we need to exercise caution concerning the anticipated influence of Nevada’s interstate agreement with Delaware. It is estimated to take effect by the end of summer, potentially aligning with the release of the state’s August revenue figures in September – the first month unaffected by the WSOP.
If the interstate agreement is initiated in the upcoming weeks, coinciding with the August revenue reports, assessing its impact could be challenging due to the diminishing influence of the World Series of Poker during the same period.
WSOP increases consumer awareness
If consumer awareness increases, the World Series of Poker could also potentially impact Nevada’s traffic numbers in the long term.
The presence of WSOP in town not only highlighted the state’s legalized online poker but also, as previously mentioned, they effectively marketed and cross-promoted their online poker product.
Moreover, the WSOP broadcasts on ESPN should aid in marketing and advertising, a campaign that will continue until November.
New sites launching soon
The impending launch of several new sites may be the final factor that keeps traffic numbers high in Nevada.
Usually, I would be concerned that the introduction of a new site could damage traffic by spreading the player base across various sites. However, the suggested sites will establish the first intrastate network. WSOP.com, an 888 branded site, and TI will all contribute their players to this network. It is highly likely that this network will also merge their player base with Nevada once the interstate agreement is launched.
Thus, in this scenario, the inclusion of more sites would in fact enhance the liquidity of an already existing site, WSOP.com.
