Best of PRO This Week: Portugal, EPN Traffic and the Amaya Effect Best of PRO This Week: Portugal, EPN Traffic and the Amaya Effect
Key Takeaways
  • Forecasting Portugal’s Online Poker Market Part 1.
  • In Depth: The Impact of New Gaming Laws on Online Poker in Portugal.

Lead Features

Forecasting Portugal’s Online Poker Market Part 1

The unique variable tax rate calculation may be the deciding factor for operators considering offering online poker under new Portuguese laws. The usual issues that are considered in coming up with a market forecast look to be dwarfed by the impact of tax when nationally regulated online poker begins in Portugal in just over five month’s time.


In Depth: The Impact of New Gaming Laws on Online Poker in Portugal

High taxes could drive players outside the nationally regulated market and limit the number of operators capable of making a profit. In just under six months, Portugal’s new gaming laws will be implemented under the supervision of the Office of the Inspection of Games, part of the Portuguese Institute of Tourism.

Regular Weekly Columns

Traffic Watch

Pokerfuse PRO’s exclusive review of the online poker market across international, US and regulated European markets.


The Deal

Promotional highlights of the week, including PokerStars, Full Tilt, 888 in Europe and New Jersey, and the Equity Poker Network.


Regulation in Review: US

A review of the latest developments in gaming regulation in the US. This week: California, New Jersey and Iowa.


Regulation in Review: Europe and Beyond

A weekly review of the latest developments in gaming regulation outside the US. This week: Denmark, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and the UK.

Exclusive News Articles

Chase Winamax Pro ManuB at Go Fast

Win more money than the Pro at low stakes fast fold tables to multiply starting stack size in a €5k freeroll event. Winamax is using Team Pro Manuel “ManuB” Bevand to promote its newly released fast fold poker variant Go Fast.


EPN Hits All Time Traffic High

The network which dislikes “aggressive” players now has more cash game traffic than the market leaders in New Jersey. A few days ago, cash game traffic at the Equity Poker Network (EPN) hit its highest level since the network launched last November.


PokerStars Summer Daily Challenge Uses New Mission Window

$500k is being given away in a promotion easily accessible to the recreational player. The PokerStars Summer Daily Challenge is offering $500k in prizes to players who complete one or more of the prescribed daily tasks.


Ladbrokes Reports Online Poker Down 50%

Revenues are down by 60% as the yield per player drops by over 20%. The half year results report from Ladbrokes shows a major decline in online poker revenues.


The Amaya Effect? Canada Regulated Online Poker Market Skyrockets

The Canadian Poker Network got a 43% traffic boost after Canadian company Amaya announced the PokerStars acquisition. The Canadian Poker Network has seen a 43% rise in cash game traffic since Amaya announced its plans to buy PokerStars and Full Tilt on June 13.


Caesars Reports 20% Revenue Growth from Online Poker

$10 million in revenues remains little more than a rounding error in the gaming giant’s income statement. The second quarter financial results from Caesars Interactive Entertainment (CIE) show a 20% revenue increase in online poker.


888poker Grows in Spain

An early seasonal plateau at the end of June gave 888poker Spain additional market share. 888poker Spain has been gradually growing its market share over the past year. It now has 21% of the Spanish regulated market measured by cash game traffic.


Planned Tournament Overlays Grow EPN Player Base

Full Flush Poker and PokerHost have seen tournament numbers double in four months. The Equity Poker Network (EPN) has adopted an interesting strategy for growing its tournament traffic—as soon as tournament entries look like meeting the guarantees, it increases them.


Online Poker Down 20% in Denmark

The seasonal decline was expected; the year on year drop implies deeper problems. The Danish Gambling Authority’s (DGA) market performance data for the second quarter of 2014 shows that the Danish market for online poker is in decline.