The world of online gaming has never been bigger. It's an industry worth billions, and is expected to reach over $100 billion by 2017. Central to that is online poker. And of course central to that is PokerStars and their sister site Full Tilt.
The brands have become industry leaders over the last decade with PokerStars alone having dealt over 120 billion hands since opening its virtual doors in 2001, collecting over 50 million members during their 13 years in the industry.
Now, at the tail end of a big year for the company, they're expanding their offerings beyond poker and into other casino games and a sports book. As PokerStars delivers their one billionth tournament, they will also be rolling out blackjack and roulette in a move which could see tremendous growth for the brand.
It's no surprise to see them adding to their offerings, with PokerStars being an industry leader in the market. The brand tested the water in Spain initially alongside Full Tilt launching their casino games and Live Casino - itself a bold move.
The casino has rapidly become popular for Full Tilt members with 50% of all casino players now only using Full Tilt for games such as blackjack and baccarat. So it makes sense to push that out across PokerStars too as the brand continues to build.
But they're not stopping there, with the brand also looking to make headway in the sports betting market. A 2013 report by the BBC estimated that the industry is worth anywhere between $700 billion and $1 trillion and is ever expanding, with PokerStars spearheading the way above its competitors.
The new move will no doubt see them become major players in that market with the power of the brand behind it, and with the quality time they're putting into it, it could go a long way.
Head of Corporate Communications at PokerStars Eric Hollreiser said, "We are taking the same principles, practices, and integrity that make PokerStars such a successful and beloved brand and applying them to new verticals."
Of course they've not just got to the forefront of the market by their excellent product; they're extremely savvy and active outside of the online realm too.
Sponsoring live events across the globe including the European Poker Tour and the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, the brand name is plastered across many major tournaments, whilst having some of the world's top pros including Daniel Negreanu as ambassadors has given the brand a huge reach, particularly in social media.
Negreanu has over 330k followers on Twitter and promotes the brand, increasing its exposure as well as frequently engaging with the brand profile and its online community. Using techniques such as this has helped PokerStars to become the incredibly approachable brand in its industry.
Of course having the likes of Ronaldo and Rafa Nadal on your side also helps, and with the new sports book likely to touch down next year, they could give PokerStars a huge advantage when it comes to marketing power and influence.
Both PokerStars and Full Tilt are institutions in the online poker world, and it's likely that will spread to online gaming as a whole. They already have a firm hold of the poker industry as the top two brands, and when it comes to casino and sports book, you can bet they will dominate those in the next few years too.
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