Portugal Could Ring-Fence Online Poker Market

Portugal apparently has decided to follow in the footsteps of France, Italy and Spain by not allowing its online poker player pool to play with those of other countries, at least for now.

PokerStars, the world’s largest poker site in terms of users, stopped offering its product in Portugal during the third quarter. The online poker market was temporarily closed in the country as lawmakers sorted out how to implement new laws.

The ring-fencing could only be for residents of the country, as Portugal could allow people elsewhere in Europe to play on Portugal licensed sites. It’s unclear which sites the country will end up licensing.

The country is home to 10.4 million people.

The global online poker market has shrunk more than 20 percent since 2012, according to some estimates. Though the global online poker market looks to be stabilizing, thanks to high-profile mergers within the industry that will cut regulatory costs, online casino games are experiencing a strong growth period, especially in Europe. The continent is where the bulk of the roughly 85 nations across the world that allow online gambling are located.

Europe is also where roughly 40 percent of worldwide online gaming revenue is generated. German research group Statista recently predicted that by the end of 2015 the global online gaming market will have grown to $41.4 billion.

The decline in the global online poker market is attributed to America telling the then three largest online poker operators to exit in 2011. Four years later, the state of New Jersey is considering opening up its regulated online poker market to other foreign jurisdictions.

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