Will Poker Ever Go 100% Digital? 

It’s quite a conundrum, isn’t it? A game that acts as the bedrock of conventional casinos and relies so heavily on interpersonal elements now faces a future that could be entirely digital. Of course, they are more than happy to push back on this idea, but there’s no dispute how much the game has changed since the beginning of the 21st century.

While all casino games have had to adapt to the rise of the internet, poker has had to adjust more than most. Despite poker still being a mainstay in conventional casinos, the rapid rise of technology now has more people in the industry asking the question, "Will poker ever go 100% digital? If it does, what sort of timescale are we looking at? Let’s take a look.

The Rise Of The Digital Poker Room

Believe it or not, there was a time when influential names in poker did not have much faith in the development of online poker rooms. This is despite the success of other digital innovations within the poker realm, most notably video poker, which became a global hit in the 1980s.

Even with this evidence, many poker analysts, professionals, and those with a strong knowledge of the game would argue that, without the psychological edge of the physical game and the ability to read your opponent's body language, it would be impossible for online casinos to replicate these ideas. As we have seen, though, online table games have taken on a new lease of life, reaching a global market and bringing in a wave of new gamers.

Online table games have come a long way in the last twenty years. Real money casino table games have been able to bottle many of the elements that used to be unique to the conventional version of the game. In-game chats allow players to converse and speak to the dealer at the table.

The security and speed of the streaming meant players could access tables without leaving their homes or spending money on travel to the casino. It was this convenience that helped the digital poker room rise to prominence in the early part of this century, and it is from this springboard that some people believe that poker will one day be completely digital.

Fintech & Innovative Tech

Online poker was a Big Bang moment for the industry, and once the dust settled, we saw all the innovations that have come since tunneling through the digital market. We’ve seen mobile poker, gambling apps, and the rise of cryptocurrency all point to a game becoming increasingly digital. Crypto is an intriguing talking point. Its whole fabric is built in the digital world; it’s not like conventional payment options that have had to adapt to the digital market.

The blockchain is completely digital, the first digital-only payment option to gain traction in the world of poker gaming, rendering cash, credit cards, and e-wallets obsolete. You can now connect directly to the casino wallet and deposit and withdraw – no third-party, bank, or oversight needed.

The proliferation of altcoins, as well as the figurehead asset, Bitcoin, has demonstrated that there is a significant market for digital assets in online poker rooms. Streaming services have become integral in bringing poker to a new global audience, too. With social media communities, poker influencers, and online platforms like YouTube, a new foundation for the poker gaming market has emerged.

Digital Marketing Dominance

It’s hard to believe that it has been over 20 years since Twitter first launched, as you can see in the link below, and while Twitter, or X as it is now known, is not considered anywhere near as popular as the likes of Instagram, social media is now the collective driving force that dominates the world of poker marketing. 

This isn’t just specific to online poker, though; even prominent tournaments use social media to build their audience, sell tickets, and stream their events to a large global audience. Marketing is going completely digital; payments appear to be heading that way, too, so could the game itself end up with the same fate?

Final Thoughts

While it would not be the wildest thing to have happened in the world of casino gaming, it is highly unlikely that poker will ever go 100% digital. You only need to look at the popularity of the World Series of Poker, the popularity of poker events, and the art of playing in a conventional setting.

That’s not to say that online poker won’t continue eating into the conventional market share, but even if VR gaming makes enormous strides, crypto becomes a common asset in the global financial system, and marketing becomes completely dominated by social media, there is still going to be room in the market for land-based poker.

While it might dwindle, it’s highly unlikely that poker will become completely digital, at least not within the next decade or two.