How online poker will be in 5 years, 10 years...

[RiverMike]

Hi all,

I would like to have your opinion about online poker in the future. Do you think it will be as easy to beat in 5 years, 10 years? Do you think there will be as many fishes? Do you think online poker is at its peak and is going to go down year after year? Or do you think it is the opposite?

Im thinking about going pro and this is something Im getting concern about. Any opinion would be greatly appreciated.

[KaneKungFu123]

i think this post would make more sense in the Omaha section.

[RiverMike]

Ok.. So where would you put it?

[CrayZee]

If you are going pro in an uncertain area of work, have a backup plan. Do you have an education or good job options if going pro doesn't work for you? Can you handle the swings of not having a stable income? Would you be okay if your resume had a gap in it, if things don't work out?

No one knows what exactly is going to happen to the poker economy in five or ten years. This is gambling after all.

[zeitgeist]

IMHO, over the next few years (probably longer than 5 or 10 though), online poker will actually get easier. The reasons can be summed up in one word:

China.

One billion people are eventually going to get Internet access, and sooner or later they will find a way around their government's attempts to censor and restrict that access.

As China's economy is liberated, its standard of living will improve and its people will have more disposable income to spend on things like online poker.

Oh, and I think gambling's kind of a big thing over there.

[Exsubmariner]

I don't think it is going to go away. It think in 5 years, it's going to look a lot different as far as who the major sites are. I think it will get bigger. There is a whole generation of teenagers right now who have been watching poker on TV for the past couple of years and the ones who aren't playing now will do so one day. There is the increased internet access around the world.

There might be periods where things are tighter than other times. I think this will be seasonal and probably be tied to larger cycles. I think tournaments are going to get larger and prize pools are going to go up. I can envision a day when you can buy into a 10K entry fee tournament online.

All that said, I know no one can really predict the future. You pays your money, you takes your chances.

[Mossberg]

Come on guys...
Obviously gambling isn't going anywhere.. It's been ruining lives for several decades and is becoming increasingly more popular with the younger generations who have (A) had everything handed to them on a silver platter, or (B) those who haven't, and feed into the illusion that one can become rich gambling.

And as for poker - well, poker is the COOL way to gamble. I think it always has been in a sense, but now more than ever. It's always been the "cool" social game of choice, and now with Texas Hold'em and the Online boom, i think people all over the world are hooked.

With a game so diverse, interesting, and illusive, at the fingertips of every credit card holder in the world, I think it's safe to say, the poker boom has only just begun..

For as long there is a good player telling his friend of all the money he's making off of it, there will be plenty new people starting all the time, trying to be that player rollin' in the dough.. And not to mention the effect of mass media..

2cents worth.

[CrayZee]

[ QUOTE ]
Come on guys...
Obviously gambling isn't going anywhere..

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly. There are more important question to ask yourself.

[AlanBostick]

Gambling in the USA has been growning and growing and growing for the past twenty years, and I believe that sooner or later there's goind to be some sort of backlash. I've been wondering whether the Jack Abramoff congressional corruption scandal would ignite an eruption of fury against the flood of money from Indian casinos -- so far, it hasn't, but the story isn't over yet.

Online gaming has a murky legal status in the US, and it is entirely possible that this could be clarified by making it more solidly illegal.

Worldwide, I think online poker is here to stay, and that after the boom peaks and fades there still will be a multitude of good games to be found by determined pros. It might get tough for American pros to get their money in and out of the games, but the games will still be there and will still be good.

[Atarirob]

Remember, everyday some kid turns 18. Online Poker will be around for quite sometime.