The Nevada online poker scene has returned to its usual state following the flurry of the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas this summer. WSOP.com continues to dominate over Ultimate Poker, with no significant increases in traffic being reported.
Since its launch in February 2014, Real Gaming has not made a significant impact on the state’s online poker industry, often recording no traffic on its site. The silver lining, however, was that the operation of this site, along with two others in Nevada, compelled the state regulator to disclose monthly revenue figures.
Two out of the three sites in Nevada have concluded that maintaining the status quo is inadequate. Consequently, they’re taking action to change it.
Real Gaming Puts Up $100,000 to Attract Regular Players
Despite Real Gaming not having acquired any part of the Nevada online poker market share yet, a new promotion has managed to attract some new players.
“The Real 50” is a giveaway that kicked off this summer and will persist into the next year, featuring monthly and yearly prizes. To join, players only need to make a single $50 deposit.
Real Gaming is seeking its inaugural “Player of the Year” at two different stakes levels.
Players must attain a minimum loyalty score of 60 to be eligible for small stakes games, which vary from 10c/20c to 50c/$1. The highest 50 players in this category will share a monthly prize of $2,000.
Games with medium stakes start from $1/$2 and go up to the highest level so far, which is $5/$10. Players who have earned a minimum loyalty score of 80 are eligible to participate and have the opportunity to win a share of the monthly $5,000 prize pool available for the top 50 players.
In both categories, the champion will receive 23% of the prize. The runner-up will receive 12%, the third place will get 6%, those in fourth to tenth places will each receive 3%, and the remaining leaderboard will take home smaller percentages of the prize.
When the annual leaderboard finalizes, the top three players in every category will share the prizes. Low stakes players will have a total prize pool of $6K, and for medium stakes, it would be $10K. The distribution of prizes will be such that the first place gets 50%, second gets 30%, and the third place secures 20%.
The promotion has begun at a slow pace, yet the July outcomes indicate an enhancement, given that typically no players were on the site in the past months. There were 30 players on the small stakes leaderboard and 15 on the medium stakes list in July.
Players who sign up for the site are likely to appreciate the no-download software and the convenience of depositing through ACH, wire transfer, paper check, or personally at South Point in Las Vegas.
WSOP.com Looks to Future with Improvements and Upgrades
Following a successful summer characterized by increased registration, active tables, and revenue, WSOP.com aims to implement site enhancements aimed at securing long-term appreciation from its players.
The site underwent a significant technology-based update and, to facilitate this, it was shut down on Monday. The update, which took the site offline, continued until the early morning hours.
At first glance, players might not observe many enhancements to the site. However, the main reason for its relaunch was to facilitate gradual upgrades as Nevada regulators approve each element of the site’s upgrade.
They will observe a modification in the tournament lobby that provides more comprehensive information about the tournaments right off the bat.
Furthermore, players have the ability to access their previous hands, conveniently re-buy and add on in tournaments, and receive alerts before logging off if they are registered for a tournament.
Most players will find all of these features new, however, Apple users will not be able to access the upgrades until an announcement is made regarding the date.
Regarding geolocation services, they are anticipated to enhance with the transition to a wi-fi-based system by GeoComply, a company that asserts nearly 100% efficiency. Set to be implemented within the upcoming month, this new system should identify player locations more swiftly and accurately. The existing system will remain as a backup to handle any potential failures or downtime.
Regulators in Nevada must also give the green light to a new deposit feature. This will enable players to continue adding funds at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas without needing permission from customer service. The facility to withdraw in person will also be offered.
Players are also anticipating the authorization of mobile applications for WSOP, which will enable play through iOS and Android systems. This update lays the foundation for those mobile platforms and is awaiting Nevada’s approval.
Enhancements to the site are expected to be completed in the next few months, before the November Nine. As November draws closer, anticipate new promotional activities related to the WSOP Main Event final table. These promotions will likely involve mobile app engagement and financial transactions at the Rio cashier cage.
