PokerStars loses cash-game traffic crown
Flutter-owned poker giant overtaken by GGPoker Network after 15 years at the top according to traffic-tracking data
GGPoker Network has dethroned PokerStars to become the world’s largest online poker room in terms of players at the cash-game tables.
PokerScout, which monitors all the leading poker sites’ traffic with data supplied by GameIntel, shows that GGPoker boasts a seven-day average of 5,000 concurrent cash-game participants and a 24-hour peak of 7,202 players.
It means PokerStars has slipped to second spot in the rankings with a seven-day average of 4,800 concurrent players, although the 24-hour peak is higher than GGPoker at 7,827.
PokerStars has dominated the rankings since the passing of UIGEA in 2006 in the US under the Bush Administration, resulting in the exit from the market of the US’ dominant site at the time, partypoker.
According to PokerScout, Asia-based IDNPoker sits in third spot, followed by Winamax in France. Playtech’s iPoker network is sixth, while 888poker and partypoker are in eighth and ninth position respectively.
Six-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet-winner Daniel Negreanu, who is a global ambassador for GGPoker, said in a statement: “GGPoker hitting the top spot for cash-game traffic is a result of a lot of hard work by a lot of people, and of course is testament to the amazing community of players that call GGPoker home.”
Launched in 2014 and mainly focused initially on the Far East region, GGPoker has made tremendous strides in recent years to become one of the leading global poker networks.
The firm has also signed a number of high-profile professional players as ambassadors, although the hiring of controversial minor celebrity Dan Bilzerian divided opinion in the poker community.
GGPoker, which holds UK and Malta licences, has also hosted WSOP online events and been lauded for the innovative features it has introduced of late.
While GGPoker occupies the cash-game top spot – at least for now – PokerStars is probably still the runaway leader when it comes to tournament traffic.
Flutter has vowed to invest in PokerStars in order to reassert its position in the market. The company reported online poker revenue fell 8% year-on-year in Q1 following 17% growth for FY 2020.