Poker’s strategic evolution: How a classic format is driving community engagement, loyalty and innovation in the next phase of iGaming

Many believe mainstream recognition of poker’s potential to engage players, punters and the public at large dates back to the emergence of the game on TV screens a quarter of a century ago.

Whilst the big personalities, big stakes and compelling under-the-table hole cameras played a part in the success of the programmes, it was poker’s social aspect that really captured the imagination: the reads, the exchanges, the body language and the bluffs.

Now, in the digital age, such captivating social dynamics have taken on extra significance – and there is a growing belief that poker has the power to drive greater engagement, loyalty and innovation across the broader betting and iGaming space.

“Poker is unique because it’s inherently social,” says Dmitry Starostenkov, CEO of EvenBet Gaming, which has more than two decades of experience in poker and card games software development.

“In poker, players compete against each other, share their wins and losses, and actively discuss their experiences. That’s why forums and communities have always been a big part of poker culture.

“This social aspect gives operators a powerful retention tool. They can build communities, work with ambassadors and famous players, and host live events that complement online play. Poker provides a wide range of community-based strategies to retain players, which is critical given today’s rising acquisition costs.”

Tackling the retention challenge

Retention remains a major challenge in an ever-more cluttered attention economy for all consumer-facing brands – and betting operators are no different.

In the UK, for example, next-day retention rates for slots on Android devices fell by roughly a quarter between June 2024 and June 2025, with 30-day retention rates nosediving by 40%. The outlook has been tumultuous in other key markets as well.

The natural interactions that underpin poker are, therefore, seen as vital in building flourishing communities of loyal players. For this reason, the role of poker is evolving from a standalone product into a cross-vertical digital engagement tool in today’s iGaming ecosystem.

“It’s a very natural trend, and not just for poker but across all iGaming verticals – casino, sports betting, bingo, horse racing and more,” Starostenkov says.

“Players rarely stick to a single vertical. They might prefer sports betting, for example, but will also spend maybe 10% or 20% of their time in poker or casino games.”

Cross-vertical engagement

Positioned at the forefront of the sector, EvenBet Gaming is witnessing first-hand how the industry is striving to facilitate such cross-vertical engagement, Starostenkov explains.

“Twenty years ago, players had to register separately on a poker site, a sportsbook or a casino,” he says. “Then came integrated websites with shared wallets, which was the first step toward convergence. Today, operators recognise that players want a wider experience, and poker has naturally merged with other verticals into a single iGaming ecosystem.”

Operators have increasingly adopted social tools such as community-driven text and video-based content into their offering to bring to life real-time interactions through personalised feeds, social profiles, posts, comments and chats.

These vehicles for interaction help to fuel gamification opportunities, such as missions and challenges, helping operators to provide a platform to establish stronger emotional connections with players – in poker and across other verticals.

“Engagement tools are becoming essential,” Starostenkov says. “Retention is now just as important as acquisition because of rising costs, and poker is especially well-suited to features like chat, missions and challenges.

“We see parallels with casual and social games, where meta-games and multiplayer formats drive daily log-ins. Real-money gaming is moving closer to social gaming, borrowing mechanics like challenges and progression systems to keep players engaged for longer.”

Starostenkov also highlights how poker communities can be nurtured with the support of ambassadors – highly successful professional players with career winnings that often stretch into the tens of millions of dollars.

“Famous poker players can attract other players to a website,” he adds. PokerStars, 888poker, Grosvenor Poker and GGPoker are just some of the brands to have commercial tie-ups with the most renowned and popular players on the circuit.

“There is still a core audience, even among 20 to 25-year-olds, who enjoy long poker sessions”

Changing expectations

These operators are not only backing supremely talented players, but also personalities – echoing the central appeal of the breakthrough TV poker programmes of the early 2000s.

However, whilst such coverage a quarter of a century ago has been widely credited with accelerating the growth of digital poker and ultimately helping to fuel long-lasting brands like the PartyPoker mobile app, expectations of online and mobile poker players have evolved considerably over the years.

Indeed, some critics argue that poker is too slow a game for the modern iGaming user.

Some understandably point to the sharp growth of micro-betting in major markets like the US, for example, as evidence that punters are increasingly leaning into shorter and more frequent gaming experiences.

However, whilst it is widely accepted that younger generations in particular prefer faster experiences and often switch quickly between activities, Starostenkov insists that such habits are not set in stone with poker.

“There is still a core audience, even among 20 to 25-year-olds, who enjoy long poker sessions,” he explains. “To reach a wider audience, operators have introduced features like side bets, prop bets and shorter formats such as ‘Spin & Go’ or ‘All-In or Fold’. These reduce session times, increase excitement, and make poker more accessible, while still preserving the essence of the game.

“The focus is on faster formats that can be enjoyed in short sessions, whether you are waiting in a queue or commuting. ‘Spin & Go’ and ‘All-In or Fold’ are great examples: they deliver the thrill of poker in just five or 10 minutes, without losing the game’s DNA.

“Operators and providers are working hard to balance speed with authenticity, so poker remains true to itself while fitting into mobile-first lifestyles.”

A community-driven culture

Alongside these innovative formats though, other new approaches have yet to take hold in poker. For instance, blockchain has not had the impact in the game that many were anticipating. However, that may yet change, according to Starostenkov, who sees a common purpose and trajectory between poker and such technologies.

“A decade ago, many believed blockchain would revolutionise poker by guaranteeing transparency through on-chain random number generators or transaction histories,” he says.

“But in reality, players haven’t shown strong demand for that. For them, the bigger concerns are the playing experience and community reputation, not whether every transaction is recorded on the blockchain.

“That said, poker and blockchain share a natural community-driven culture. We’re now seeing poker rooms built around specific tokens or crypto communities, where players compete in tournaments and form social ecosystems. This community connection is where blockchain and poker truly fit together.”

Geographical nuances

Many of these communities of poker players are already established – and the digital nature of the competitions have broken down barriers to participation.

However, there are still geographical nuances. In growing gambling markets, operators can focus on using a set poker game offering to attract new players, as well as keep hold of them, Starostenkov says.

“In markets where poker is already culturally ingrained, it plays a key strategic role,” he explains. “The US is the obvious example. It is the birthplace of poker, and operators need poker in their ecosystem to succeed. Europe is also important, with a strong player base that enjoys poker alongside other products.

“In emerging regions like Latin America, Africa or parts of Asia, poker can work more as an acquisition tool. There, players may need education on how to play, so it’s less about retention and more about introducing poker as something new.”

The social experience

Whether poker is leveraged as a retention or acquisition tool, its future in the iGaming space will be defined by how the game continues to evolve to maximise its unique social appeal.

This, Starostenkov says, is highlighted by the increasing prevalence of poker-dedicated online streamers. On platforms like Twitch, no fewer than 14 of the world’s top poker streamers have more than 100,000 followers, with the most popular having over 2.4 million.

“The social experience will be key,” Starostenkov concludes, underlining poker’s potential to act as an engine that can power engagement in other areas of gambling. “Poker is becoming a platform for interaction, and not just on a peer-to-peer basis between players, but also between streamers and their audiences.

“You already see streamers running a poker table alongside slots or sports betting during broadcasts. In the future, poker could evolve into virtual rooms where players compete, stream, and socialise simultaneously. It has the potential to act as the ‘glue’ that brings different gaming and entertainment experiences together.”