Mixing Poker and Casino - Is It a Good Idea?
Online gambling has a long and colorful history - and it started with online poker, long before the first fully functional real money internet casino was launched in 1994. The system was far from being as user-friendly as it is today, though - poker games were played in IRC chat rooms, with a piece of software dealing the cards. The users had to type in commands using the IRC interface. IRC Poker was played with imaginary money, but has attracted many big names, like WSOP champion Chris Ferguson, who first started playing poker through this system.
When today's point-and-click clients were introduced, online poker has gained notoriety, becoming a real game as opposed to the imaginary IRC chat one. In time, the online gambling industry has divided into three major arms, each one based on the type of bets one can place: sports betting, casino gaming, and poker (plus bingo, but this one is only popular in certain areas). The division between casinos and poker rooms has allowed for the game to develop to its true potential, and even be included in the ranks of "mind sports" in 2010.
Poker has left the casino, with gaming outlets like Royal Vegas Casino only keeping the single player versions of the game. In order to play poker at an online caisno you must register an account, by signing up. In particular, Getting started at Royal Vegas is quick and easy, and players can immediately engage in a game of video poker or casino hold'em without the need of waiting for their opponents to arrive at the table. The registration process is quick and simple - all you have to do is follow the instructions on your screen and provide easy details like your name, age, date of birth, contact information, and where you live. It's not a lot of work, considering that Royal Vegas has epic poker games that you can play. Besides, casinos have hundreds of other games of chance to play, and some very attractive promotions meant to keep them coming back. Poker rooms, however, are mostly visited by enthusiasts, not necessarily attracted by the prospect of winning or the bonuses, but coming for the game itself.
PokerStars was the largest poker room ever to be accessible over the internet, with its proprietary software and huge user base. It took over Full Tilt a few years ago, integrating it into its network, with the two brands running in parallel under the same management. But Canadian gaming group Amaya Gaming has bought the whole Rational Group, and has decided to use the two major poker brands as an umbrella for many other gaming activities - it has introduced casino games to Full Tilt and PokerStars, and has even launched a PokerStars branded sports betting operation in the UK.
It's unclear if this decision is to blame (and Amaya won't comment as well), but since the change the weekly ring game player average at Full Tilt has plummeted from the over 1,500 six months ago to about 700. The user rating of Full Tilt has also declined a lot, players complaining about a serious lack of trust toward the operation, and discontent about the changes they have introduced in user identification and overall entertainment level. It seems that mixing poker with casino gaming and other forms of online entertainment is not such a good idea after all...
