 |
The German Poker Market |
|
|
Resume
Dezember 2007 |
Poker in Germany A few years ago the game of poker was almost unknown here in Germany, aside from a vague association with smoky saloons in western films. It had even disappeared from German casinos, although it was still played in a few smaller card clubs in Austria. For Germans, the game of poker hardly existed and had almost disappeared completely. But in 2005 the TV channel DSF began broadcasting poker tournaments and laid the foundation for the unexpected poker boom. Other niche channels like Eurosport followed, and finally the majors began to develop their own poker programs. The entertainer Stefan Raab brought poker to millions with his Poker Night on Pro 7, where numerous celebrities competed against qualified online players. Aspiring players can qualify online in multiple tournaments on the Pokerstars website, which helps promote interest in internet poker. Detailed reports on poker appeared in the media, and poker schools began offering courses. The first German-language poker books, like Mr. Poker.net, explained the rules and evaluated the various German poker websites. Aside from a few bad translations, there aren't any German poker magazines yet, but it is only a question of time before they appear. Meanwhile, you can buy poker sets anywhere, and they are becoming increasingly popular as promotional giveaways. Even the state casinos have responded to the poker boom, and reactivated dusty poker-tables. Poker tournaments in the casinos are almost always sold out—the casinos are pleased with the new customer segment. But poker in Germany is classified as a game of chance, and games of chance can only be offered by the state, in state-managed casinos. The Wiesbaden Casino is the only one in Germany authorized to operate an online-casino, but participation is restricted to Hessian residents only. Besides the official casinos, there are meanwhile over 100 organizers of private poker tournaments in discotheques and bars. The law forbids playing for money in such tournaments. The buy-in can not exceed €25, and only material prizes (no money prizes) are allowed. Nonetheless, such tournaments are very popular, and are increasingly used by online-pokerrooms for advertising. The German Poker Players' Association (GPPA), an organization of German-speaking poker players, also organizes private poker evenings and supports a German national poker league. The GPPA estimates there are over 5 million German poker players. Internet poker is growing in significance, helped by the online Pokerstars qualification for Stefan Raab's Poker Night. More and more poker providers are designing German websites and offering poker software in German, which increases interest in the game. German television advertises poker sites especially intensively, although since advertising "games of chance" is illegal, the advertising is for legal German poker schools. These are .net-offers or German websites with no explicit mention of play for real money. Because of the problems on the American market, poker providers are turning to the European market, usually the English market first. But anyone with real ambition to conquer the European market for poker must confront numerous national particularities. To begin with, he must offer at least a German website and "German" poker software if he wants to enter the German market. Over 130 million people speak German worldwide, but there are fine distinctions between Germans, Austrians, Liechtensteiners, and Swiss. Most poker providers currently ignore national differences in advertising and marketing. Usually the English-language campaign is just translated, and this frequently misses the tastes of a German-speaking group. An important difference in the German market concerns payments. While direct debits are commonest method of payment in Germany and Austria, in Austria the Paysafecard also plays an important role. In Switzerland, on the other hand, almost all payments are by credit card—direct debits are hardly used. Only Pokerstars and Bwin offer facilities for payment by direct debit on their websites. That more providers do not is remarkable, given the fact than only 20% of Germans have a credit card, and 80% of all internet payments in Germany are by direct debit. Cautious estimates presume between 500.000 and a million online poker players in Germany. The average European poker player is male (73,8%), between 26 and 35 years old. With 32%, Germany has more women players than the European average. The largest German age group is between 35 and 54. The average German internet poker player plays two or three times a week, for a couple of hours, mostly in the evening. The continuing poker boom is encountering increasing resistance from the authorities. Private poker tournaments are regularly controlled to ensure that participants are not playing for money, and that the buy-in is within legal limits. TV broadcasters are warned to ensure that poker advertising only concerns schools, with no reference to real-money websites. Even Google Germany doesn't allow new bookings for "poker", and neutral phrases like "poker school" are only allowed after exhaustive evaluation. Life for internet poker providers will become more difficult after January 1, 2008, when internet advertising for games of chance will be generally forbidden in Germany . Creativity will be necessary; campaign strategies for the internet will have to be rethought. Simple media- and keyword-marketing will decline in significance in Germany, and affiliate marketing will probably increase. Most poker providers, however, are behind with their German affiliate marketing. Besides the meagre marketing documentation, there is almost no affiliate support in German. The current advertising campaigns leave a lot to be desired. A poker congress (www.pokerkongress.com) will be held in Frankfurt at the 25th of October about the particularities of the German poker market. The organizer, Dow Jones, assures that many media representatives will use the opportunity to exchange views with poker providers and branch representatives. This event is also an excellent opportunity for affiliates to inform themselves about internet poker offers. |
|
Article published in the iGaming Business