The last decade has seen a boom in the field of Internet technology. Everything that was available online was attractive since it was easy and fast to get. The same applied to the entertainment industry. Many casinos started operating online enabling players to have their favorite poker games available at any time.
However, the rise of Internet technology also inspired a new wave of events and betting opportunities among a new group of players. The possibility to play the same game in between a great number of people paved the way for multiplayer online battle arenas. Esports was born and have taken the world by the storm. No one could have thought that gamers would have a worldwide fan base, let alone that by 2021 it would be expected for over 550 million people to participate or watch these events.
In a similar fashion, the online poker industry has been growing year after year. Only in 2019, it brought 2,4 billion pounds in revenue in the UK.
So what are the main similarities and differences between these two Internet phenomenons? Read on to find out.
Fans Demographics
Both online poker and eSports are enjoyed by millions of people of all ages, nationalities, and genders. However, in order to play online poker for money in USA as well as the rest of the world, you need to be at least 18 years old. This is the greatest difference between the two. The viewership of eSports is a little bit younger than the one for online poker. Over 60% of viewers who watch eSports are aged 18 to 34. The digital era has brought younger viewers to almost every part of the entertainment industry. This was mostly because of different streaming platforms like YouTube and Twitch. The largest part of the viewership of online poker events is aged 35 to 44.
Some researches also indicate that older poker players prefer a land-based casino to their virtual counterpart. On the other hand, younger generations of players prefer online casinos. This is greatly connected to the way socializing is perceived for each generation. While older generations prefer eye-to-eye encounters, younger ones are completely satisfied with chat rooms online.
There’s a similar trend in the world of eSports. While older players are more interested in traditional sports, over 55% of plater aged between 13 and 21 are more inclined toward online sports.
Competing Events
Anyone who’s ever heard of poker also knows about the World Series of Poker. This is the greatest poker event in the world. This poker tournament and many others receive the attention of mainstream media and they are broadcasted around the world. Main prizes at these events can be several hundreds of thousands of pounds. And some of the players are known to be extremely rich.
However, the tournaments for eSports are still being “defined”. Even though eSports events welcome both amateurs and professionals, some of the greatest gamers have begun to sign important deals with different sponsors. This has been a part of online poker events for a long time. But, eSports has proven to be on the rise as far as prizes are concerned. In 2017 for the Dota 2 Championship the main price was over 20 million dollars. Moreover, they are only now beginning to be broadcasted on networks like BBC.
Which One Is More Accessible?
Both online poker and eSports are easily accessed with an Internet connection. However, in countries with tight gambling regulations, it can be more difficult to access online poker than an eSports event.
Due to its connection to the gambling industry, there are more restrictions imposed upon online poker.
To Sum Up
Regardless of all the minor differences, online poker and eSports are both games of skill. And regardless of which one of the two is your favorite, no one can deny that they are the entertainment of future generations.