Despite Shedding European Market, Bodog Poker Close to Cracking Top 10
Earlier this month Bodog Poker announced it will no longer be servicing the European market, citing the regulatory barriers for individual nations and a renewed focus on the Asian market.
Taking this into account, it is somewhat surprising that Bodog appears to be on the verge of cracking the top 10 most trafficked online poker networks in the world according to PokerScout.com, a traffic monitoring website.
Bodog has been averaging just over 1000 “real cash” players daily. A few weeks back, the network passed by Merge Gaming. Both networks still cater to US players.
The Revolution Poker Network, which hosts two Gambling911.com endorsed online poker rooms, Lock Poker and Cake, was still leading among US-facing cardroom networks. It was ranked at number 11, one notch ahead of Bodog, and averaged 1180 “real money” players daily.
Bodog’s traffic has indeed increased, as opposed to other networks perhaps losing market share and dropping down the rankings. Reports suggest that Bodog Poker, via its US-facing Bovada brand, has cut its payout wait times by more than a half with some players reporting funds received in under a week. Bodog had experienced lengthy payout delays this past spring, brought on by processing issues that have plagued much of the industry targeting US players.
The Revolution Network has been holding relatively steady since its launch approximately 6 months ago.
Merge is expected to gain some traction with the much anticipated Poker Maximus III coming next month (November 2012). Gambling911.com endorsed Carbon Poker is hosting this prestigious event.
The poker community anxiously awaits the debut of new poker networks opening up in the United States a la Nevada, perhaps as early as December. These sites will at first only cater to residence of the Silver State and those visiting. With Las Vegas and Reno serving as key gambling destinations within the state of Nevada, it is conceivable that these new ventures (supported mostly be established brick and mortar or European operators) can sustain a viable player pool through tourism alone. How these companies manage the banking obstacles currently standing in the way remains to be seen.
- Ace King, Gambling911.com
