The Which Poker site has declared after online research that since the signing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in the US, PokerStars has become not only the world’s largest tournament online poker room, but also the world’s largest cash game online poker room.
The new ranking follows the poker room’s decision to continue accepting players from the US, filling a vacuum left by the abrupt withdrawal from the U.S. market of former market leader Party Gaming, which has seen them swap places with the Gibraltar-based giant as the world’s biggest online poker room.
Using real money cash game player figures, Poker Stars daily player numbers have increased from around 6 500 to around 8 500, an increase of approximately 31 percent, Which Poker claims in support of its conclusions. And peak periods numbers are approaching 13 500 compared to around 10 000 prior to the UIGEA.
The poker room has also upped the stakes in its cash game offering by introducing Seven Card Stud, Razz, Five Card Draw, Triple Draw and the WSOP favourite HORSE to the standard cash games of Texas Hold’Em and Omaha.
The Israeli-owned PokerStars has also shown its hand in the European market with the introduction of a German language site, with plans afoot to further develop its presence on European soil.