Promotion Blitz Reduces the Impact of the Mafia Raid on the Italian Market Promotion Blitz Reduces the Impact of the Mafia Raid on the Italian Market
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Key Takeaways
  • The Italian police raid on July 22 led to the closure of several skins on the People’s Network and a 30% fall in network cash game traffic, but traffic on the network is beginning to rebound off of its low point.
  • In fact, traffic in the whole market has recovered to where it was a week ago on the back of multiple promotions offered by the other online poker networks.
  • The wide publicity given to the raid in the mainstream media might have acted as a deterrent to players and led to a broad market slowdown. However, as the prosecutor in the region of Reggio has authorized the closed poker rooms to release player deposits, the perceived risk now seems to have subsided; although, the impact of the money laundering allegations on the reputation of Italian regulated online poker may have caused some longer term damage.

UPDATE: All poker rooms on the People’s Network are now back online and open for play.

The Italian police raid on July 22 led to the closure of several skins on the People’s Network and a 30% fall in network cash game traffic, but traffic on the network is beginning to rebound off of its low point. In fact, traffic in the whole market has recovered to where it was a week ago on the back of multiple promotions offered by the other online poker networks.

The wide publicity given to the raid in the mainstream media might have acted as a deterrent to players and led to a broad market slowdown. However, as the prosecutor in the region of Reggio has authorized the closed poker rooms to release player deposits, the perceived risk now seems to have subsided; although, the impact of the money laundering allegations on the reputation of Italian regulated online poker may have caused some longer term damage.