MATTHEW ROBINSON

Weblog: Giving insight into online poker

Is another king poised to take over the throne?

Part two of my history of online poker

PLANET POKER was the first company to go online in 1998, but as internet poker began to grow it soon became clear that business would be driven by liquidity and kings would be crowned democratically.

With loyalty to Paradise Poker seemingly unquestionable in the early years, it would take something significant to dethrone them.

Yet a new superpower in online poker  soon emerged: PartyPoker. With an inspired marketing campaign that allowed players to qualify for the PartyPoker Million Cruise via online satellite tournaments, top spot was secured.

In 2005, it became officially the fastest-growing company in
history. In five years it had become bigger than British Airways and Marks & Spencer.  Its flotation valued the company
at more than $8billion.

Once again the dominance of the market leader lookedso strong that it seemed impossible for another to take the crown.
But in 2006, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was born and PartyGaming withdrew from the US market.

With an 80 per cent decrease in its market value overnight, the
dubious legal status of online gaming in the US brought listed
gaming companies to their knees.

Pokerstars boost via WSOP

  PICTURE: Tom Boyle  

PokerStars, which first came to the fore when Chris Moneymaker won the WSOP main event via a PokerStars satellite, took advantage of a new gap in the market and is the current king of online poker, but history tells us every three or four years a new king is crowned.

With Harrah's, the biggest casino group and owner of the WSOP brand, having announced it will enter the online gaming market, 2010 may well see a new king taking the throne.

Click to play Racing Post Poker online now