Online Poker Numbers on the Decline

There was a time when online poker was the most popular online activity, providing internet users from around the world with a unique gaming experience. Now, it seems as though the trend is dying, as online poker numbers have dropped for the past seven weeks.

According to traffic monitor Poker Scout, online poker activity is down 6% from this time last year. All of the Top Ten poker sites are seeing weaker numbers, and overall revenue has dropped by 12% since 2012.

While these numbers could mean that online poker is facing downswing, industry professionals are more optimistic. At Poker Scout, they are calling it a case of ‘spring fever’, as European temperatures are much higher than usual for this time of year.

“As usual, the fair weather sent players scrambling to get outside and away from their keyboards, causing traffic to plunge across the board,” says a spokesperson for PokerScout.

Despite the decline, PokerStars continued to be the top performer in the online poker market. iPoker followed closely behind along with 888 and Microgaming. Should PokerScout’s predictions prove positive, then these sites can expect a surge of activity in coming weeks.

Zynga Plus Casino and Zynga Plus Poker Now Live

Popular social gaming developer Zynga has finally made its move into the online casino market. After being live for over a month, ZyngaPlusPoker.com and ZyngaPlusCasino.com are now hosting a wide range of online gambling activities for players to enjoy.

These new online gambling websites will revolutionize the market. Real-money casino operators have launched Facebook apps before, but this is the first time that a social gaming developer has ventured into the real-money gambling word. It is a new era for the gambling market.

At Zynga Plus Casino, many of the games are exclusive to the site. Some games are based on existing Zynga titles, such as the new Farmville slots games, while others feature familiar characters, such as Intensive Scare. There are also some exclusive branded slots, like Sin City and Knight Rider. With an impressive selection of online slots and table games, Zynga Plus Poker will certainly attract a wide range of players.

Zynga Plus Poker is likely capitalizing on the company’s existing Zynga Poker fan base. The play-money Facebook app has millions of users, many of which have likely made the switch to Zynga’s new real-money poker application.

Currently, the websites are only accessible by UK players. We hope that they will expand to other markets in the near future.

Changes to Microgaming’s Bad Beat Jackpot Pay Off

Bad beat jackpots are becoming increasingly rare in the online casino world, since interest in progressive poker jackpots seems to be dying out. This month, Microgaming attempted to revive interest in bad beat jackpots by making quite a few changes to its network, and they seem to be paying out.

According to PokerFuse, since the new jackpot program was launched, Microgaming has paid out twice in two days. The new format ensures that more players can cash in on the jackpot prize, which will definitely attract more players to Microgaming’s poker network.

“With the introduction of our new Bad Beat Jackpot, we solve the problem of liquidity segmentation seen in other Bad Beat Jackpots, and make the whole promotion accessible to all MPN players,” says Lydia Melton, Microgaming’s Head of Network Games.

The first progressive prize was awarded to a player named TiltShove. They won $450 000 after losing a bad beat while the rest of the table split the remaining $250 000. Two days later, a player who lost four-of-a-kind 2s to four-of-a-kind 6s won a $360 000 bad beat jackpot prize. The qualifying hand for most bad beat jackpots is usually quad 8s, but Microgaming has made it easier for victims of bad beats to cash in on generous prizes.

PokerStars Launches Facebook App

For years, Facebook has been a popular online gaming platform, and online casino developers are finally working their way into the market. This month, PokerStars announced that it would be launching a new play-money poker application on the social network.

PokerStars’ new Facebook application is an extension of the play money offering on its .net website – except this version is outfitted with a wide range social gaming features. These include experience points, bonus prizes and the opportunity to share progress with friends.

All of your favourite PokerStars features will be available as well. You will be able to access a wide range of games include, ring games, tournaments and even Zoom Poker.

It seems that PokerStars has been developing this social gaming application since last November. While it has taken the company quite some time to debut the app, there is still quite a lot of work to be done. It is still in its Beta stage and can only be accessed on Facebook’s online site; the application is not yet available in the Facebook app store.

Facebook has already entered into the world of real-money bingo, and it seems that the social networking site may be keen to launch real-money poker applications. With PokerStars now launching its first-ever social gaming app, the company is well-positioned for entry into Facebook’s real-money online gambling market.

Another Pro Returns to Full Tilt

It has been more than two months since Full Tilt Poker has made its return to the online gambling world, and poker pros seem to be reluctant to reconcile with the operator. It is only recently that world-renowned players are making their return to Full Tilt while the company slowly rebuilds its relationships.

Towards the end of 2012, Phil Ivey returned to playing at Full Tilt Poker. He distanced himself from the online poker operator after Black Friday, like many others – and his recent return has inspired some poker players to begin playing at Full Tilt Poker once again.

Patrick Antonius followed Ivey’s lead last week, signing up to play with Full Tilt Poker online. Since his return, he has lost $200 000. His result resembles Gus Hansen’s, who returned as Full Tilt’s bran ambassador but is losing more than $500 000. Viktor Blum has won $5 million since the beginning of 2013, but lost nearly half of that in just one week.

Phil Ivey remains the most successful pro on Full Tilt Poker. Since he began playing at Full Tilt Poker, he has raked in over $100 000. However, this is still only a small amount, considering Ivey’s lifetime winnings on Full Tilt Poker have topped $19 million.

2013 will be an exciting year for Full Tilt poker and its pros, and we are eager to see who emerges as this year’s winners and losers.

Full Tilt Poker Back Online

It has been months in the making, but Full Tilt Poker has finally made its triumphant return to the online poker world. The site re-launched this week, and was met with a big welcome from former players. The online poker site looks forward to a successful future in the gambling market and is pleased to announce a number of new features.

Since it has been nearly two years since Full Tilt Poker was a functioning online poker website, its developers have been working hard to ensure that its software can compete with today’s leaders in the market. As such, several beneficial new features have been added to ensure that players have a convenient online gambling experience.

Some little things that you will notice are improved lobbies, providing players with more information about the games and tournaments that are presented to them. Players can also pre-select where they are seated in any tournament or cash game – another small but extremely convenient feature.

New tournaments are also making their debut at Full Tilt. You can take part in Double Chance and Triple Chance tournaments, which present players with the option to rebuy without the extra cost. Rush Poker also returns with brand new tournaments, bringing a whole new meaning to the term ‘fast-fold’ poker.

New Zealand poker player will be pleased with the new online offering from Full Tilt Poker. We highly recommended giving the new site a try.

Gus Hansen to Continue with Full Tilt Poker as Ambassador

Full Tilt Poker was previously one of the most-visited online poke sites by New Zealand poker fans. Players across the country are eagerly awaiting the site’s return on November 6, 2012, and the operator is taking big steps to ensuring that it is a monumental event. In addition to re-hiring much of its old staff, Full Tilt is enlisting in the help of some poker pros that were previously associated with the brand – with Gus Hansen returning as brand ambassador.

Gus was previously a member of Team Full Tilt with other big names like Tom Dwan and Phil Ivey. He is now the first pro to reignite his relationship with the brand, and he will be the new face of the company when Full Tilt Poker returns to the online gambling scene.

“I’m very excited to represent the industry’s most authentic poker brand,” Hansen says in a recent statement.

This time around, Full Tilt Poker plans on doing everything by the book. The company has enlisted in the help of a new management team, which will ensure that the brand complies with gaming laws in all jurisdictions. So, players from across New Zealand and around the world never have to worry about the site going belly up again.

New Live Dealer Games at InterCasino

InterCasino online casino is one of the top online gambling websites out there today. It is well-known for meeting customer demands and knowing exactly what it takes to keep players interested and engaged. This month, the casino operator has decided to appeal to a different audience with the launch of its new Live Dealer selection, which will certainly attract more players to this world-class website.

If you’re not already familiar with Live Dealer games, these are online casino games that are played with real dealers rather than computer software. Rather than having a random number generator determine the outcome, a dealer (broadcasted via webcam) shuffles the cards or spins the roulette wheel.

At InterCasino, there are a number of benefits for its new Live Dealer selection. Players can select which dealer they would like to play with and they can chat with them while the game is taking place. Each table has different betting levels, so players with a wide range of bankrolls can take part in this innovative gaming offering. Players should also take note that there is a wide availability of live dealers, so you will never be waiting very long for a table!

Microgaming Introduces Blaze Poker to Mobile

Fast-fold poker is the latest trend in the online gambling world. Offering players the chance to instantly receive a new hand after folding, these types of applications are popular among poker players with a taste for fast-paced action. Now, players can take their fast-fold gaming with them on the go. PokerStars recently launched Zoom Poker on mobile and now, Microgaming has done the same with Blaze Poker.

Blaze Poker is Microgaming’s own fast-fold poker application. Once players fold their hand at one table, they are taken to a new table and dealt a new hand. Players can take part in hundreds of hands per hour, multiplying their profits.

The application has led to a 33% growth in profits over the course of the past few months. So, it seems only natural that the operator would want to expand its reach. Mobile Blaze has yet to hit the mobile market place but Microgaming is enthusiastic about the venture.

“Microgaming is gearing up for the imminent launch of Blaze Mobile, which will offer its popular fast fold poker game variant to players, and soon-to-be introduced Mobile Bingo,” reads a statement from the company.

Microgaming Launches New HTML5 Slots

Although HTML5 has been around for quite some time, the programming language has yet to make its appearance in the online gambling market. Microgaming is finally introducing HTML5 to online casino fans, launching a new set of games on the platform.

HTML5 provides great benefits to casino developers, as it provides them with the ability to create programs for a wide range of device. It is especially useful when designing applications for both Mac and Android devices, as HTML5 can run on both systems. As each operating system earns a bigger market share, cross development has become increasingly important.

The new games that are available from Microgaming are Ladies Night and Spring Break, two multi-line mobile slots games that aim to entertain. Both games received a positive response in the online gambling market; so, they are likely to receive a great deal of attention on mobile devices like iPhones and iPads.

Ladies Night and Spring Break will be joining a roster of 75 existing mobile titles from Microgaming. From slots to table games, Microgaming’s mobile casino offers a diverse experience for players on the go.