Poker ranks among the most widely played games in casinos. Just recently, Grand View Research published a report valuing its global online market at $3.86 billion. The market is expected to expand at a 10.2% CAGR to reach $6.90 billion by 2030. According to another study by PlayToday.co, over 100 million people frequently engage in online poker, highlighting how popular the game has become.

Of course, part of the reason for this growing popularity is the convenience of online platforms. Mark you: According to Morgan Stanley, about 77% of customers consider convenience crucial when making purchase decisions. So, whether you prefer free poker games or real money alternatives, online platforms allow you to participate from anywhere with just a few clicks on your smartphone. But again, players want something more than just convenience.

Imagine the pain of being unable to immerse yourself instantly in the game just because payments are delayed. Or worse still, being unable to participate using a mobile device just because the website wasn’t tailored for mobile use. Well, it doesn’t matter if the platform allows convenient access to entertainment; if it frustrates users because of such experiences, it may witness a significant churn rate and soon be out of business. To avoid such losses, poker providers have made player retention a top priority.

Providing seamless payments

Especially in real money games, players will need to fund their accounts before engaging. And they expect this process to be as seamless as possible. After all, there is no reason why someone should wait ages for their funds to be processed in this day and age, where things have become fast-paced. Juniper Research conducted a study and found that the real-time payment market could swell by 161% within the next few years.

As if that’s not enough, Testlio says delaying funds could frustrate up to 70% of customers who expect transaction processes to take less than two seconds. Providing instant payments shows your commitment to align with changing customer preferences, which could help strengthen your brand reputation. It also shows you’re concerned about offering excellent customer experiences, which can encourage players to become loyal.

As digital wallets become increasingly popular and more advanced, players expect transactions to be as fast as their online experiences. To ensure you remain competitive, you want to cater to such preferences. And looking at the broader e-commerce sector, Projective Group expects 78% of businesses to have implemented this payment technology by 2028.

Variety that keeps things fresh

If poker were just one game, gamblers might eventually be bored and stop exploring. Providers know this and have been working hard to offer various variations to keep the experience fresh. And while Texas Hold’em dominates the spotlight, you won’t fail to spot other versions like Omaha, Seven-Card Stud and countless tournament formats like Sit & Gos.

On top of these traditional formats, you’ll also find contemporary variations such as short-deck poker and speed poker. In short-deck poker, the deck is stripped down for faster action, while speed poker lets players immediately jump to a new table after folding. This diversity ensures no one ever feels stuck in a rut. On a Monday night, you might jump into a casual Sit and Go with friends, and by Saturday, you might be competing in a high-stakes tournament streamed to thousands of viewers.

And given that there are over 100 million poker players, you can be sure preferences vary. A player in the US may prefer Texas Hold’em while one in the UK favors Omaha. Diversifying products conveys that you care about every preference and can help broaden reach among global audiences.

Security measures that build trust

At a time when cyberattacks have become so popular, no one wants to interact in an insecure environment. People have become generally security-conscious and will always survey platforms’ security before engaging. This is why casinos have been paying attention to online security, besides just providing poker games with captivating graphics.

With features like two-factor authentication (2FA), casinos are able to protect users’ accounts from harm. Once a player provides their username and password, 2FA always requests a one-time code before granting access to the account. This simple yet powerful process protects accounts even if their passwords were compromised. Surprisingly, Microsoft claims that it can prevent up to 100% of automated bot attacks from harming users.

Other providers have gone the extra mile to include artificial intelligence in their approach. Artificial intelligence has an unmatched computational ability that helps it detect unusual activities and patterns in real time. This way, providers can act before attacks are launched and avoid severe losses. And when it comes to securing online communications between browsers and servers, SSL encryption comes in handy. As such, players won’t need to worry about their crucial details, including passwords and other personal credentials, falling into the hands of malicious actors. These systems often improve players’ confidence, which could result in longer gaming durations.

Seeing the online poker sector expanding shouldn’t be surprising. Providers know players seek more than convenience and have been adjusting by providing relevant experiences. For instance, most have adopted instant payment methods to avoid frustrating players by delaying funds. They have also diversified their game offerings to keep the gameplay fresh and appeal to as many tastes as possible. And when it comes to improving online security, these providers are also not left behind.