How Do Online Poker and Video Slots Co-Exist?
In the early years of the online casino, poker was king. However, in recent years, there’s been something of a cultural shift, where online poker once dominated the front pages of most casinos, slots now sit front and centre on casino homepages. You can’t visit an online site without seeing long lists of modern video slots that have quickly become player-favourites.
Because of that, to the uninitiated, it can seem as if poker has lost ground to its easy-to-pick-up slot counterparts. However, that’s not the case, as the wide-ranging world of online casinos has found a way to see these two phenomena coexist in harmony. So just how do casino sites manage to juggle the balance between slots and online poker?
Online Poker Has Moved Verticals to Accommodate Slots
As previously mentioned, poker was once the darling of online casinos and was one of the first things that anyone would see when visiting one. As the slot market grew, the formerly number-one poker was moved to a different position. While many at the time would have worried that it was being put in the back seat or relegated to a lesser standing, it has been far from true.
Instead, most online casinos have simply changed where you will find poker - and modern technology has helped in this regard. Nowadays, online poker on a typical site like Karamba casino has been moved to the live casino vertical, while the slots are housed in the standard casino section. These live-dealer versions of online poker have allowed the game to thrive in a completely different environment than before.
The Poker Market is Booming Despite Increased Competition
While slots are driving growth in more casual casino gaming circles, online poker is still a huge market in its own right. According to data from market statistics and insights aggregator Custom Market Insights, online poker is only growing. The data shows that revenue for the market is predicted to triple from around USD$ 100 billion in 2024 to $300 billion in 2033.
It’s clear that slots are not putting any pressure on the online poker industry in any real way. Instead, it shows the divide between the two different games and the audiences they both attract. Poker, whether online or offline, is a game that requires some skill and knowledge to play. Slots, however, are much more popular as a pick-up-and-play style game.
No Slowing Down for Either Market as Online Casino Growth Continues
The crossover between slots websites and online poker will likely keep growing as both markets experience unprecedented growth. There is clearly still a place for specialist poker websites, and the players who frequent them will likely want to keep playing at those with like-minded poker enthusiasts online and at poker clubs. However, we’re likely to see more slot casinos taking a chance with poker games.
What’s clear is that neither game is a threat to the other, as there is space for both of them even at the biggest slot operators on the web. This can only be a good thing, too, as players can experience a variety of games and broaden their gaming horizons.
If nothing else, it could win over a brand new generation of poker heads who discover online poker by chance in one of these slot casinos. Either way, it will be interesting to see how it plays out.