Online poker gamers questioned for new study
The playing habits of online poker players have been revealed by an online casino survey from a university in the United Kingdom.
In a survey of 10,000 online casino players by Nottingham Trent University, it was revealed that over 70 per cent of online poker players were male. The survey also discovered that the majority of these players were aged between 26 and 35.
When asked about the time gamers spent playing online poker, it was found that the average online poker player played between two and three times a week, usually gaming for a maximum of two hours per session.
Focusing on the online habits of online poker players, the survey found that the majority of players gamed in several different online casinos in order to increase their chances of success. The report discovered that online poker players considered their chances of winning increased by playing in many online casinos simultaneously.
The report also discovered that online poker players were the most sociable online gamers on the internet. Over a third of online poker players regularly visited online forums and message boards to share playing tips and discuss their preferred online casino; two thirds of those questioned said they did so more than once a week.
When asked if they used the ‘chat’ function during their online poker games, nearly 40 per cent reported they did. The report suggests that this figure was due to the increase in popularity of online poker outside of "dedicated online casino circles". It stated:
"This may reflect that gaming is now becoming more of a bona fide pastime. Players appeared to be spending more time thinking about how to play, developing their skills and engaging in conversation."
Elsewhere, the report also discovered that twelve per cent of players pretended to be a different gender when playing online poker over the internet.