Online Poker In Asia: What's It's Status?

[PokerSpiv]

1. The typical Japanese person doesn't have enough spare time to sit at home playing online poker. They only go home to sleep, if that. Most Japanese do their gambling in Pachinko parlours located on the street near their office.

Additionally, Internet Cafes in Japan are extremely expensive by any standard, and especially by asian standards.

2. Gambling is completely illegal in the Kingdom of Thailand. The web pages of most online gambling sites are blocked by the government net filter, although if you bring the client install file with you on an ipod (or get someone to send it to you over MSN) then you can usually access the site. You cannot withdraw money from most poker sites from a Thai IP, although you can play on Party the last time I tried (1 year ago, it might be different now).

3. Asians like to gamble, but most asian countries have never heard of Poker. Casinos in Macao don't spread poker.

4. Gambling is also illegal in China (apart from in Macao). Those online gambling sites that aren't blocked by the great firewall of China typically experience timeouts and connection issues due to the firewall.

So that leaves Hong Kong and South Korea that have cheap, reliable internet connections and no gambling bans.

Malaysia, Singapore and the Phillipines don't currently ban online gambling - but all have strong religious groups (Islam in Singapore/Malaysia, Catholicism and Islam in the Phillipines) that would be utterly opposed to any form of gambling boom in those countries.

China would probably allow online gambling ONLY on sites that were wholly owned and run by the Chinese government. They aren't stupid enough to let some foreign company take all those profits offshore. On the plus side, any theoretical Chinese-owned Gambling site would probably allow foreigners to play there (but you'd probably need to learn to read Chinese).

In other words I wouldn't hold your breath.

[Postiga]

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1. The typical Japanese person doesn't have enough spare time to sit at home playing online poker. They only go home to sleep, if that. Most Japanese do their gambling in Pachinko parlours located on the street near their office.

Additionally, Internet Cafes in Japan are extremely expensive by any standard, and especially by asian standards.

2. Gambling is completely illegal in the Kingdom of Thailand. The web pages of most online gambling sites are blocked by the government net filter, although if you bring the client install file with you on an ipod (or get someone to send it to you over MSN) then you can usually access the site. You cannot withdraw money from most poker sites from a Thai IP, although you can play on Party the last time I tried (1 year ago, it might be different now).

3. Asians like to gamble, but most asian countries have never heard of Poker. Casinos in Macao don't spread poker.

4. Gambling is also illegal in China (apart from in Macao). Those online gambling sites that aren't blocked by the great firewall of China typically experience timeouts and connection issues due to the firewall.

So that leaves Hong Kong and South Korea that have cheap, reliable internet connections and no gambling bans.

Malaysia, Singapore and the Phillipines don't currently ban online gambling - but all have strong religious groups (Islam in Singapore/Malaysia, Catholicism and Islam in the Phillipines) that would be utterly opposed to any form of gambling boom in those countries.

China would probably allow online gambling ONLY on sites that were wholly owned and run by the Chinese government. They aren't stupid enough to let some foreign company take all those profits offshore. On the plus side, any theoretical Chinese-owned Gambling site would probably allow foreigners to play there (but you'd probably need to learn to read Chinese).

In other words I wouldn't hold your breath.

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Thanks for taking the time to type all that. Great reply.

I cling to some hope that poker will arrive in China soon, with the old communist apparatus being torn apart. The capitalist reforms are coming thick and fast, and what's more capitalist than poker?

[lefty rosen]

It has arrived in a trickle. I have seen Chinese nationals on Party in the past. Many are are atrocious gambling addicts or weak tight rocks. For the size of Japan I have seen barely any players from that country. But I have seen a few here and there and most have been atrocious. I have seen a few South Koreans too and it was similar. As for the Filipinos the working classes are too poor to play even micro stakes as poorer Filipinos only earn about 100 US a month. Many reasons why Asians aren't seen much online in poker rooms is because of income levels.

[Wabby]

I have two friend in Japan that play poker online. However they are both very intelligent and eager students of the game.

If poker ever became widely popular in Japan I would say that the ratio of fish/sharks would just fall. A higher percentage there would be serious players.

[Wabby]

@Degen

I don't think you are allowed to have an account as a Thai national living in Thailand. Only as a foreigner. I first made my Party account when i lived in Thailand, and they froze my account, wanting to see my passport.

That was 3-4 years ago though.

Recently they banned players from Israel, because of legislation there. So I don´t see why they should allow thai people aboard.

[mungpo]

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If poker ever became widely popular in Japan I would say that the ratio of fish/sharks would just fall. A higher percentage there would be serious players.

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Are you serious?

[joker122]

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If poker ever became widely popular in Japan I would say that the ratio of fish/sharks would just fall. A higher percentage there would be serious players.

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Are you serious?

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if you knew the first thing about contemporary japanese culture you wouldn't ask that question.

[mungpo]

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If poker ever became widely popular in Japan I would say that the ratio of fish/sharks would just fall. A higher percentage there would be serious players.

[/ QUOTE ]
Are you serious?

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if you knew the first thing about contemporary japanese culture you wouldn't ask that question.

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I might as well quit poker now if the Japanese are going to take over.

[Wotsmycode]

Well it has started in the philippines! They held some poker tournament back in 2006 and Texas dolly visited or is visiting This march! Also they have wpt ASIA happenin is ASIA. Now time for me to open a rakeback site so I can snag all my fellow asians!!!! PROFITTTTTT

[MegaFossil]

[ QUOTE ]
1. The typical Japanese person doesn't have enough spare time to sit at home playing online poker. They only go home to sleep, if that. Most Japanese do their gambling in Pachinko parlours located on the street near their office.

Additionally, Internet Cafes in Japan are extremely expensive by any standard, and especially by asian standards.

2. Gambling is completely illegal in the Kingdom of Thailand. The web pages of most online gambling sites are blocked by the government net filter, although if you bring the client install file with you on an ipod (or get someone to send it to you over MSN) then you can usually access the site. You cannot withdraw money from most poker sites from a Thai IP, although you can play on Party the last time I tried (1 year ago, it might be different now).

3. Asians like to gamble, but most asian countries have never heard of Poker. Casinos in Macao don't spread poker.

4. Gambling is also illegal in China (apart from in Macao). Those online gambling sites that aren't blocked by the great firewall of China typically experience timeouts and connection issues due to the firewall.

So that leaves Hong Kong and South Korea that have cheap, reliable internet connections and no gambling bans.

Malaysia, Singapore and the Phillipines don't currently ban online gambling - but all have strong religious groups (Islam in Singapore/Malaysia, Catholicism and Islam in the Phillipines) that would be utterly opposed to any form of gambling boom in those countries.

China would probably allow online gambling ONLY on sites that were wholly owned and run by the Chinese government. They aren't stupid enough to let some foreign company take all those profits offshore. On the plus side, any theoretical Chinese-owned Gambling site would probably allow foreigners to play there (but you'd probably need to learn to read Chinese).

In other words I wouldn't hold your breath.

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Me fail Chinese? That's unpossible.