The top French gambling regulator says online poker is a declining fad.
The French online gaming regulator ARJEL issued a report stating that the online game is a fad that’s seen its peak after the country saw huge decline in online poker revenue—and online gaming revenue in general.
ARJEL President Charles Coppolani said in the report that one possible reason for the decline is that poker is “too complicated” for younger players.
Online poker sites lost $88.1 million in 2013 after losing $114 million the year before. The figure’s showed a “brutal downturn” in cash games, but a slight uptick in tournament games.
Many critics feel France’s high online gambling taxes, lack of player liquidity and limited game choices have caused the downturn, with many cash players moving to tournament play.
The report noted that many French players may be moving their play to unlicensed offshore sites.
