Online Poker and the Individuals Who Play It

Abstract

In this chapter, we trace the evolution of the two types of online poker games, characterize the players who play them and examine the reasons for the success of both these online games. The data and observations presented in the chapter are based on: a) personal observations, b) comments from players in response to open-ended questions posed online, and c) a survey that examined the attitudes of players towards online poker. By examining factors such as the characteristics of the medium, the background of the players, and the players’ attitudes towards the game we hope to be able to draw some conclusions regarding how a game that inherently requires face-to-face contact is able to thrive in an online mode.