Despite UIGEA, U.S. Still Dominates Online Poker Tables
Apparently the oppressive UIGEA banning online poker in the U.S., isn’t cramping U.S. poker players’ style any. No, on the contrary, according to recently released stats from the independently run market research firm, Poker Players Research, the United States still contributes the largest number of players to the total online poker player pool, with more than 10 million real-money online poker players in the U.S. to second place holder the U.K.’s $1.9 million.
That means despite legislation trying to tie our hands, Americans still dominate the online poker tables, with 5 times more players than the country with the second biggest player pool. Impressive, isn’t it? But how is it possible.
Because the exact wording of the UIGEA makes it inconvenient but not impossible for U.S. players to get in the game. It doesn’t make online poker illegal per se, but sneakily “only” makes it illegal to make online financial transactions with online poker companies located offshore. It’s almost the same thing as making online poker in the U.S. altogether illegal, but not quite. And obviously just not quite enough.
Other countries with decent showings at the online felt are: Germany (3rd with $1.6 million players), France (4th with $1.3 million), and Scandanavia, which includes Sweden, Norway, and Denmakr (comprising 5th place with 1.4 million).
Interestingly as well, more than half of the online poker market worldwide is divided up amongst two sites: Poker Stars and Full Tilt Poker. Party Poker might have shared that status had it not pulled out of U.S. markets after agreeing to suck up a $105 million fine for accepting U.S. players after the 2006 UIGEA went into affect.
