Online Poker Trends and Booms for 2024

US poker sites have been in operation since the late 1990s and have been growing at a steady rate since then. There’s more connectivity, more money, and more players than ever. The world is an ever-changing place, so just how will online poker shape up in 2024? We look into some of the trends to look out for in the new year.

Live Streaming Communities Grow Around Poker Players

Twitch and other streaming sites allow gaming and gambling players to share their experiences with users worldwide. Live-streaming poker players are some of the most followed accounts within the industry, as people want the thrill of the live poker experience without risking their own money. With the cost of living crisis affecting many households in various countries, more people are opting to watch poker players instead of playing it themselves. These communities typically drive interactive elements where viewers can have their opinions. In the case of poker, they can offer their advice on what they would do with a specific hand.

Demand for Live Online Poker

In tandem with the live streaming poker games, when players log on to an online casino site, they are now demanding a live experience over a digital version. They want a real host to deal with the cards and, if possible, interact with their fellow players. It’s now expected that 2024’s leading real money us poker sites will look to expand their offering and will present multiple live options where players can actively look for their favorite dealers and hosts.

Others who depend on the traditional digital computerized default presentation may find themselves losing custom to the new customer demands.

Playing Poker on the Move

While online casino brands and operators have long had their own apps available for customers to use, their poker counterparts haven’t always been as rapidly available to play via mobile apps. Toward the end of 2023, more and more poker brands made it of paramount importance to have an app version, with mobile device ownership higher than ever and other devices lagging behind. This trend should only continue going into 2024. This development will allow more and more people to access online poker services, growing the market.

Poker Integration with VR and AR

New technologies and developments have changed how people want to spend their time and money. Virtual reality experiences are all the rage for those who want to delve into a world outside of their usual parameters. The equipment might be expensive, but this will only become more accessible in the future as the materials become cheaper and the demand increases. There are already some VR poker games available for these devices, and that will only bolster with time.

Augmented reality is another option for poker enthusiasts. The biggest AR success to date was Pokemon Go, the game that placed the Pokemon monsters in the real world around us, as the name suggests, augmenting reality.

AR experiences could dive down this opportunity and offer players a poker table with their opponent’s avatar in front of them while still at their own dining table, adding a new level of intrigue to the online poker experience.

Cost of Living Crisis Drives Poker Participation

Ok, this point seems counterintuitive, but there are two reasons why the cost of living and people might spend more time playing online poker. Firstly, the obvious answer is people trying to win money at the table to try to make ends meet. That’s not necessarily a good idea. However, some people might use online poker as a cheaper form of entertainment. For, buying a new PS5 game can be upwards of £70 or $70, while going out for dinner or going to the cinema might be even more. Online poker rooms facilitate some very low-stakes rooms, meaning that you can play multiple games of poker as a cheaper form of amusement. Of course, don’t overspend, or it becomes pointless.

More Crypto Poker Sites Expected

Given that typical currencies are volatile these days in an uncertain world with surging gas prices and multiple military conflicts, people are beginning to put their money elsewhere. Cryptocurrencies aren’t just for that nerdy guy you know at work but for everyone. There are some crypto-only poker sites and online casinos already, and their usability is only set to grow as the demand for crypto grows. By the end of 2024, most of the mainstream poker sites should allow more cryptocurrencies as a banking method, which goes beyond the generic Bitcoin option.