Poker gains popularity among Brits

More Britons are playing poker this year, according to a new survey. The survey polled internet users and found that 23 per cent of those who responded had played poker within the last 12 months.

Of those who played poker, half had watched the game being played on television. Twenty-one per cent of poker players surveyed admitted that televised poker games had actually inspired them to begin playing themselves.

It appears that the gambling craze has not hit dangerous levels as approximately one third of those surveyed (35 per cent) said that they played the game for fun and didn’t wager or place bets at all.

Televised poker has increased in popularity this year with 540 hours of coverage this year compared to just 13 hours of televised poker shown in 2001.

The survey was conducted by market analysts Mintel. The company’s leisure analyst, Matt King said it was the game’s cool factor that was drawing so many to participate.

“The growing TV coverage has also played a key role,” he added.

While online poker and staying at home to play poker are becoming quite popular, a growing number of older travellers are heading abroad to play cards with vacations to casino and gambling locations like Las Vegas and Macau still retaining their age-old popularity.