As Europeans Stay at Home, Online Poker Traffic Soars As Europeans Stay at Home, Online Poker Traffic Soars
Key Takeaways
  • The spread of the Coronavirus, or COVID-19, is causing unprecedented turmoil across the social and economic world.
  • Italy Cash game traffic is at a peak not seen in five years; tournaments smashed through guarantees by a factor of four.
  • Gambling businesses with a bricks-and-mortar presence will be severely impacted.
  • Sports betting operators will also be acutely affected.
  • However, those with a large presence in online poker and casino games are well positioned to benefit.

With the spread of the Coronavirus forcing many to self-isolate and others to socially distance, traffic at real money online poker rooms has started to soar.

In Italy, where the country has been on full lockdown for a week, turnout at the online poker tables has been at historic levels. Cash game traffic is at a peak not seen in five years; weekend tournaments smashed through guarantees by a factor of four.

In the rest of Europe, where self-isolation came later or is more incremental than Italy’s nationwide quarantine, the traffic impact is less dramatic. But the latest figures from both cash games and MTTs suggest similar highs not seen in recent history.