Online Poker Traffic Update

A third consecutive week of less action on the online cash game poker tables is in the books, with the industry experiencing a 3% decline last week. Looking at the situation in a positive light, numbers were better than the 5% decrease the week before.

Comparing player traffic numbers from today to two weeks ago, five of the top ten poker rooms or networks lost players, while the other five remained the same. None of the top ten saw an increase in ring game action.

Amaya affiliates get hammered

The poker rooms that experienced less traffic include top-ranked PokerStars, dropping 8.1% from 18,500 to 17,000 players. Sister site Full Tilt also fell from 1,400 to 1,300 - a 7.1% dip.

Both poker rooms are under the ownership of Amaya, who recently modified obligations toward paying affiliates. Amaya put a two-year cap on affiliate commissions, which will certainly harm the bottom line of a number of affiliates.

It's likely that the decrease in player traffic at both PokerStars and Full Tilt is not a product of the new terms and conditions imposed by Amaya - yet. But affiliates now have less incentive to steer players to Amaya-owned sites, which may be a factor in future player traffic numbers.

Other top ten sites that saw less players

The iPoker Network lost 5.8% of its ring game players over the last two weeks. As a result, Bodog/Bovada took over sole possession of third place globally. Bodog (1,700) retained its estimated traffic, while iPoker fell to a seven-day average of 1,600.

PokerStars' Italy-facing site lost 200 players on average, from 1,500 to 1,300. That allowed Full Tilt to creep into a fifth place tie despite also experiencing a downswing.

PokerStars.es joined PokerStars.it in the declining player traffic club. The 9th-ranked poker room now hosts an average of 950 players, 50 less than two weeks ago. PokerStars has four poker rooms within the top ten and three of them took a hit in traffic.

U.S.-friendly poker rooms (unregulated)

The Winning Poker Network dropped a hefty 14% in two weeks, from a seven-day average of 525 to 450. The reasons why may be several, but one for almost certain is warmer spring weather throughout much of the U.S. The Chico Poker Network also slid - from 475 to 425 players on average.

The Equity Poker Network (150) experienced no change, while Revolution saw a 15% decrease from 100 to 85. The Merge Network remains untracked by PokerScout with regard to average cash player totals.

U.S. regulated poker sites

Regulated poker rooms in all three states faltered over the past two-week period, with the exception of the alliance between Partypoker and Borgata in New Jersey. Party Borgata saw player numbers increase from 110 to 120, but still trails all other regulated sites (except for Real Gaming in Nevada where player traffic remains minimal).

The interstate compact between WSOP.com in Nevada and the Delaware poker sites that are powered by 888 Holdings lost players to the tune of 11% - 180 to 160. Also at 160 is WSOP.com in New Jersey and its partnership with 888poker. That NJ pairing enjoyed 170 players previously.

Lottery SNGs attract cash players

Player traffic is 12% less now than it was exactly one year ago. While many factors play into that decrease, keep in mind that the popularity of lottery Sit 'N Gos is one of them.

That being said, the 12% decline is not as grave as it seems considering that a number of those missing players can be found at the jackpot SNG tables such as Twister Poker, Spin & Go and Expresso Poker.

PokerScout estimates that if lottery SNG players were included in the cash game player traffic totals, the decrease in traffic from last year to 2015 is more like 6% or so.