Way before YouTube and TikTok, the internet showed it had the power to make things go viral when the poker boom churned into full effect. This was in the early 2000s, and it was the first time that people had been able to witness the incredible power of the online world and its ability to spread crazes like wildfire.
Before the turn of the millennium, Texas Hold’em was a niche variant of the card game, played by a select few around the USA and other western countries. By 2005, it was enjoyed by millions around the world. Some countries missed out, though, as the internet wasn’t available to them at the time. Therefore, emerging markets could end up having their own mini poker booms in the coming years.
Poker is Absolutely Massive in the USA
There’s no doubt that even 20 years on from the poker boom, the card game is still massive in the USA. It’s one of the internet’s greatest success stories, and it has helped the country establish itself as the global leader in poker. You only have to look at the latest US casino news to see how big the game’s influence is over here. It’s home to some of the world’s greatest poker tournaments, and there are new ones emerging every year. For instance, Global Poker and the US Poker Open recently joined forces for a combined event.
One of the main reasons why poker managed to reach such a status in the USA was thanks to Chris Moneymaker’s astonishing win in the World Series of Poker Main Event in 2003. He was an unknown player at the time, and he beat the best in the business. This served as a catalyst to the poker boom, as it made many realize that it was possible to become a success through practice and dedication.
India Could be Next in Line for a Poker Boom
There are loads of famous Indian poker players already, with the likes of Vivek Rajkumar and Nipun Java up there with some of the richest in the world. When the poker boom took off in the USA, two per cent of India’s population had the internet, so some people were able to take part in the game. However, this was just a minuscule fraction of the country’s 1.38 billion people. Now, internet penetration has reached over 50 percent on the subcontinent, meaning that far more people have access to poker sites.
International businesses have identified India as the next frontier for the internet, and there is a lot of interest in marketing to people in the country. It’s expected that a lot of the trends that were massive in the west throughout the 2000s will be paralleled in India and other emerging internet nations over the next few years. This means that there could be fresh poker booms in these countries. It could take the game to the next level, and lead to more innovation and competition in the industry.
With poker being such an accessible and enjoyable game, it would make sense for the poker boom to be echoed in countries where the internet is starting to spread. India could be the next frontline, with numerous African nations also likely to experience the craze in the years ahead.
