Wake up, Casino Owners! Poker Is Your Future

By: John "Johnny Quads" Wenzel

   Hey old-school casino owners with red-tinged bottom lines, maybe it’s time to bet on poker. But don’t take my word for it – check out some figures showing that poker is the most recession-proof of all casino games. 

   For example, last year California’s 91 poker rooms raked in $800 million, more than five times the $156 million earned by Nevada’s 106 rooms, almost all of which are in casinos. Many casino owners still think of poker as a weak sister, rather than what it really is – the wave of the future. Modern players – recreational and pro – no longer hitch their wallets to games they can’t win long term, like craps, blackjack and roulette. They like poker – a game with a social element and real decision-making that can give a good player a genuine edge. That is what turns on the smart, savvy players of today. The days of gamblers trying in vain for a big score against a relentless house edge are dying, and the recession is just speeding up that demise. Meanwhile, poker revenue tripled between 2002 and 2007. 

   According to an American Gaming Association survey, 11 percent of Americans play poker, with one-third of the 21-39 age group playing during the past year. That’s huge! And every age bracket except retirees showed growth. During the first half of this year, poker revenue declined 4.6 percent in Nevada, less than half the decline showed by other games. In New Jersey, poker revenue was down 2.1 percent, compared to 8.5 percent in overall gaming revenue. And the WSOP showed a total prize pool increase this year. 

  The fact that poker is down so little in these tough times indicates to me that it is waiting to explode as soon as things return to normal. Add to that the hordes of Internet players who come of age every year, and you start to realize that poker could be a godsend to the gaming industry. There are millions of online poker players, but there aren’t millions of online slot players. 

  While this may seem obvious, getting old-time casino managers and CEOs to realize it is another matter, and these people may go the way of the dinosaur if they don’t act quickly. Instead of pushing poker off into a corner of the casino, they should put it out front. Poker is fascinating to the public – make the room open so the public can watch and hopefully join in. Guys, start pushing the game like you promote everything else: advertising, special promotions, comps, freerolls and special tournaments. Ask players what they want, and innovate. How about some special invitations? How about treating serious players the way you treat big spenders at other games? How about a fair rake, great service, a variety of games, deep-stack events and, in general, finding out what players want and then giving it to them? And how about having the guts to toss out colluders, cheaters, angle shooters and bad actors, even if they are regulars. 

  Most of all, just treat poker like what it is: America’s game, and your future.