Online Poker Twice likely in Canada despite Full Tilt Poker fiasco

CANADIANS are twice as likely to play online poker as Americans, and have continued to play in record numbers despite last year’s shutdown of PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, reports G-poker.

G-poker reports that Canadians are on average twice as likely to play online poker as Americans.

 According to the study by researchers from the University of Nevada and the University of Hamburg, the prevalence of online poker players in Canada varies, from .68% of residents in Nova Scotia and .83% of those in Ontario playing online poker, to 2.54% of all residents of the Northwest Territories being online poker players. These numbers reflect Canadian habits directly preceding the events of Black Friday, when several major online poker sites such as Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars were shut down. Since that time, PokerStars has reopened its doors to Canadian players, but it’s sites that were uninvolved in Black Friday, like 888 Poker, that are proving most popular in Canada since the shutdown.

“It’s only been since the major shutdown events that Canadians have had the chance to find out just how excellent 888 and Party’s online poker platforms are, and now that they have, there’s simply no competition.”

“This study shows just how into online poker Canadians are, even compared to the massive American market,” explained G-poker spokesman Jeremy Taylor. “Traffic reports show that Canadians haven’t stopped playing online poker – it’s where they play that’s changed. Since Black Friday, players are rapidly moving towards sites run by publicly traded companies, such as 888 , bwin.party and Playtech.”

 “888 Poker has long held a prominent place in the Canadian online poker market, and became even more popular after Black Friday,” Taylor continued. “The fact that 888 closed its doors to U.S. players and maintained a good reputation with the federal government puts 888 first in line for American legalization. In a Telegraph interview this week 888 CEO Brian Mattingley predicted that Nevada will pass online poker legislation by the end of the year, a first step in American players returning to competition with Canadians.”

“Party Poker is also in line for U.S. legalization,” Taylor said. “It’s only been since the major shutdown events that Canadians have had the chance to find out just how excellent 888 and Party’s online poker platforms are, and now that they have, there’s simply no competition.”