The Nevada-based American gambling group Binyons has announced plans to broadcast poker tournaments over the Internet.
The group’s director of poker, Jim Delorto says the webcasts are being designed to present opportunities for ordinary players to get on-air and will be a valuable marketing tool for the Binyon brand.
“You’ve got so many young people playing poker, and they all want to be on TV,” said Delorto. “This is going to be a big draw.”
The Internet broadcast concept is not new – Bicycle Casino broadcasts of live games from Los Angeles have already proved popular. In fact, Las Vegas-based iStreamPlanet, which also produces the Bicycle Casino’s Webcasts is involved in the Binyon’s project, which is expected to commence services before the end of April.
Webcasts are just the tip of the iceberg, says iStreamPlanet President Mio Babic, who expects more Las Vegas poker rooms to quickly capitalise on the marketing opportunity. “If you have 100 000 people watching every month, the cost to acquire those customers is pretty low,” he said.
So far, the Binyon’s project has spent more than $80,000 to install seven cameras in and over a single poker table as well as create a production booth with commentators, camera operators and other technicians.
Every player who makes the final table at any of Binion’s four daily poker tournaments will get a seat at the table with the cameras, and their game will be broadcasted for free to millions of potential viewers around the world. Players can buy in to the daily tournaments for as little as $60. First-place winners can get a free entry into a bigger prize pool tournament held the first Sunday of every month.
Former world champion Tom McEvoy and former women’s world champion Suzie Isaacs have signed on to offer play-by-play. Binion’s expects to interview the winner of each tournament, offering each person a few minutes of fame.
“We’ll have a phone available so people can call and say, ‘Hey Dad, I’m going to be on the Internet in five minutes,’ ” Delorto said.
The Webcast will be delayed by five minutes to satisfy state regulators and deter cheats. Telephones, recording devices and other electronic equipment will be prohibited around the table.
While televised tournaments are heavily edited, the uncut Internet version “gives players the opportunity to see how the game is really played,” Eveliene Dullaart, Bicycle’s casino administrator, said.
“You see people playing high-limit games making as many mistakes as the people playing low-limit. If you watch us you will improve your game. We have people who have been watching loyally for a long time, and now they’re playing at higher limits and making more money.”
Not everyone agrees with the Binyon view on Internet broadcasting of live poker games. Casinos have hesitated to move forward with televised tournaments for several reasons, including the lulls between exciting action.
Gary Thompson, director of sports and entertainment marketing for Harrah’s Entertainment Inc., said Internet broadcasts are unlikely to catch on “unless they come up with a format that creates suspense and drama when there’s not that much action going on with the hands.”
But Dullaart said the broadcasts have been surprisingly entertaining, even after hours of play. Viewers often stay glued to their computers, e-mailing in questions during the broadcast and seeking playing tips.
“We have people from Holland and Sweden planning their vacations around a trip to the Bike,” she said. “And we get a lot of people locally who say, ‘That game’s getting really juicy, I think I’m going to jump in my car and go down there.’ ”