Some Positive Signs For Online and Offline Poker World

Both the online and offline poker world received some encouraging news the last couple weeks that point to the poker market starting to solidify and improve after a period of uncertainty and downward results. Both Macau and Singapore have been reporting record revenues for their land-based casinos. Then on Monday, the Nevada Gaming Control Board released figures for July that showed Nevada casino businesses, the largest casino center in the United States, with a 3.7% increase in house wins to $860 million, compared to the same month last year representing an improvement of $136.9 million. It represented the third straight month of increased casino revenue.

On the online front, PokerStars has been running their annual World Championship of Online Poker. Through the first week and first 22 events, the combined entries have topped the guarantee in each event. The total prize pool has reached $17,531,650, which smashes the $10,675,000 guarantee for the events. The overall numbers are down in comparison to 2010, but that is due to the removal of the largest U.S. poker market from the numbers. The numbers compared to the non-US segment of 2010 numbers are up significantly showing that despite Black Friday's effects, PokerStars business continues to grow everywhere else.

Next Monday September 19th, is the next scheduled meeting regarding Full Tilt Poker's gaming license with the Alderney Gaming Commission. While expectations are low due to no reputed buyers yet and a third lawsuit on behalf of players who have yet to see their funds returned, any positive news to come out of the meetings that would lead to an eventual return of player funds would be viewed favorably.