~Out of the total online poker
National, 15th February 2018: Over the past few years Poker has witnessed a revolutionary growth and acceptance amongst masses. Now, there is no denying that Poker has marked its presence exceptionally well in the digital market space. Since 2016-2017, the industry has garnered a lot of popularity amongst not just youngsters but members of older age groups have also shown interest in the game. As the number of online poker sites is growing, the tournaments and offerings have also recorded an upward trend. Online poker in the country, across metros and small cities as well, has recorded a successful 2017.
Although 80% of online poker scene is dominated by men, women are slowly redefining the scenario. Players such as Monisha Jain, Nikita Luther and Muskan Sethi, to name a few, have played on national and international level tournaments, leaving some of the top gentlemen challengers behind. Even some of the Bollywood leading ladies like Anita Hassnandani, Minisha Lamba, Neha Dhupia and many more have also not shied away from joining the league. Minisha Lamba known for her bubbly characters in Bollywood movies, slays while playing poker and is named as the brand ambassador of a popular poker site. Anita Hassnandani and Neha Dhupia are also regulars at poker tables and have won big hands at some top tournaments. Women across countries are breaking the mold and becoming inspiration for many other women, to enter the game.
The first ever poker awards held in 2017 also signified the card game’s growing prominence in the digital space. Inadvertently, popularity of online poker tournaments is also growing with attractive guaranteed gifts and bigger prize pools. While there are tons of websites to choose from, poker players have been loyal to a few and trusted ones. According to The Spartan Poker, a popular poker gaming portal, metro cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Bangalore have seen the maximum poker crowd in 2017. Mumbai being the highest with 26%, whereas Delhi stands at 18% and Kolkata and Bangalore comprise 10% each in the total market. It is believed that there are more than two lakh active poker players in India. The ever-growing number of online poker players is a direct indication of the inherent appeal of the sport over the past few years.
Year 2017 has already seen an upward trajectory when it comes to the industry’s progress, and there is a lot more to come in 2018. Today, the number of entrepreneurs willing to invest in the space is increasing by the day. With more innovative ideas and immense enthusiasm, 2018 is expected to be an action-packed and exciting year for the poker industry.