During the late 80’s and 90’s, the game of Poker was gaining popularity in Asian and Europeans markets but based on a current report published by PokerStars.com, all that has changed significantly. The report confirms that when it comes to global poker, Asian and European markets rule the roost.
The study confirmed that in the last few years, the countries that showed the highest growth rate are China, South Korean and Russia. The countries that show the slowest growth rate for poker include the United States, Canada and Mexico.
These stats are understandable as Macau, China has overtaken Las Vegas, Nevada to be the number one destination for gambling, making China one of the hottest places to establish gambling operations.
With the current legislative issues that govern poker in the United States, it is not wonder why the interest levels are on the decline. Pokerstars confirmed that it has
commissioned a heat map to track that year-on-year growth to show when and where poker exploded onto the scene . . . . North America is still enjoying a rapid rise in 2006 in the years following [Chris] Moneymaker’s momentous [World Series of Poker] win. The growth continues, but just not at the same rate, while other regions and countries, such as Eastern Europe, Russia and Brazil pick up the baton.
To drill it down further, the game of Texas Hold’em has been one of the most popular games across the globe. Countries like Brazil, New Zealand, Peru and parts of Central Europe have registered a keen interest in Texas Hold’em along with other forms of poker. The Middle East did not feature in the list as most of the countries have strict anti-gambling laws and no form of gambling is allowed.
Yet it is Macau that has taken the gambling world by storm. In the past few years, not only has it surpassed Las Vegas in terms of revenue and growth but it is now reportedly generating thrice the amount of revenue than Las Vegas. Reports confirm that Macau’s casinos generate nearly $29 billion in annual revenue whereas Las Vegas casinos generate only around $10 billion per annum.
However, poker fans in the United States can take a bit of encouragement as recent developments suggest that a few states are considering to legislate the game of poker. Some of them include Michigan, California, New Jersey and Illinois. The state of Nevada has already legalized online poker and has granted licenses to more than 25 companies.
