Global Online Poker Traffic 2022–2025: Peaks, Declines, and the Road Ahead

Online poker cash‑game traffic experienced a classic boom‑and‑bust cycle between 2022 and mid‑2025. After a steady climb through 2023 and a multi‑year high in early 2024, liquidity receded back to 2022 levels by the summer of 2025. The pattern reflects both seasonal factors and broader structural shifts such as operator competition, product innovation and regulated market expansion.

In late 2022 the 7‑day moving average of cash‑game players on regulated global markets was ~25 k concurrent players. Traffic increased through 2023 as operators rolled out new tournament formats and promotional campaigns, climbing to nearly 32 k players in early 2024—the strongest level in several years. From mid‑2024 onwards liquidity declined steadily; by mid‑2025 the global cash‑game ecosystem sat in the 22 k–24 k range. The .COM (international) market followed a similar path, rising from roughly 15–16 k players in late 2022 to a ~21 k peak in early 2024 before falling back to 16–17 k players.

Seasonality plays a crucial role. Winter months remain poker’s strongest period because bad weather and shorter days keep more players indoors, while summers bring sharp contractions as regulars and recreational players spend less time at the tables. The trough recorded in August 2025 is therefore not a structural collapse but part of a well‑established cycle. The magnitude of the expected rebound in Q4 2025 remains uncertain and will depend on how operators respond to the downturn.

Numbers are 7‑day moving averages for concurrent cash‑game players and rounded to the nearest thousand.

The table highlights how the 2024 peak was unsustainable; by August 2025 the global market and the .COM market had both returned to roughly their 2022 liquidity levels. Among operators, GGPoker’s dominance remains clear, but its traffic also fell from around 12.5 k players in early 2024 to ≈10 k in mid‑2025. PokerStars’ decline is sharper: its cash‑game base has halved from ≈4 k concurrent players in late 2022 to ≈2 k, while iPoker has maintained a steady 1.5–2 k and WPT Global has surged from a minor player to roughly 2 k players, rivaling PokerStars.

GGPoker remains the largest online poker network, but it has also experienced a decline from its early‑2024 peak of roughly 12.5 k concurrent players to ~10 k in mid‑2025. The operator’s success is tied to continuous product innovation and aggressive promotions:

• Innovative formats: GGPoker offers unique tournament and cash‑game formats. Battle Royale is a 30‑player progressive bounty Sit & Go divided into three stages—Rush, Shootout, and Final Table; players claim bounties in a fast‑fold stage, survive a shootout, then play a standard final table. Flip & Go tournaments let players buy multiple stacks and start with a skill‑based flip‑out where every hand is all‑in until table winners are in the money; after the flip, the remaining players play a normal deep‑stack tournament. Spin & Gold provides jackpot Sit & Go action with insurance and a flatter prize structure. The cash‑game lobby includes Rush & Cash fast‑fold tables with random cash drops and an All‑In or Fold variant where players must commit or fold each hand. Micro‑stakes (NL2, PLO2) introduced in 2020 make the site accessible to recreational players.

• Large promotions: January 2025 saw GGPoker’s biggest monthly promotion: the $25 M New Year Giveaway, which distributed $25 million via format‑specific races, daily missions and cash drops. The promotion included 12 Days of Goals (missions awarding Flipout freeroll tickets), a Year of the Snake HongBao event dropping random prizes on cash‑game and tournament tables, and enhanced leaderboard races across Hold’em, Omaha, Rush & Cash, Spin & Gold, All‑in or Fold and Mystery Battle Royale formats. Additionally, the WSOP Express promotion, launched in mid‑2025, allows players to start with a $0.50 buy‑in and climb through a step‑based ladder to win passes to the WSOP Main Event; GGPoker even gives every player a free Step 0 ticket each day. The highest tiers—Ring Pass, Bracelet Pass and Super Pass—grant entry to live WSOP events worth up to $30,000. Such promotions reinforce GGPoker’s role as the official online partner of the WSOP.

• Market expansion: GGPoker continues to enter new regulated markets. In 2024 it secured a license in the Philippines, launching the country’s first legal real‑money online poker platform. It also partnered with OlyBet to offer GGPoker games in Lithuania and added PokerArabia, a Lebanese‑licensed skin that connects Middle‑Eastern players to GGPoker’s global player pool. These expansions, combined with GGPoker’s acquisition of the WSOP brand, show its ambition to grow beyond traditional markets.

Once the unchallenged market leader, PokerStars has seen its cash‑game traffic slide from ~4.5 k players in late 2022 to about 2 k by mid‑2025. Despite the decline, the operator continues to innovate:

• Mystery Bounty tournaments: In January 2024 PokerStars introduced Mystery Bounty events, belatedly following competitors. These tournaments hide bounty amounts until the late stages and award random prizes when players eliminate opponents. The concept proved popular, prompting PokerStars to schedule a dedicated Mystery Bounty Series in July 2025: a nine‑day festival featuring 55 events with $3 million in guaranteed prizes, including a $500,000 Main Event. The festival offered multiple variations—Pot‑Limit Omaha, No‑Limit 2‑7 Single Draw, 5‑Card Draw and Badugi—plus special formats where mystery bounties enter play only when 10 % or 40 players remain. Such twists reward deep runs and add strategic variety.

• Product and rewards updates: In 2024 PokerStars overhauled its rewards program and made significant software improvements, including streamlined game offerings and a major server upgrade. The operator revived its popular card‑collection promotions and added new campaigns to keep players engaged. It also doubled down on live events, running a packed schedule across the European Poker Tour (EPT), North American Poker Tour (NAPT) and regional stops. These efforts demonstrate that PokerStars is not standing still despite its dwindling cash‑game base.

iPoker (RedStar Poker, Champion Poker) powered by Playtech, has maintained relatively stable cash‑game traffic around 1.5–2 k concurrent players. While it lacks the explosive growth of its rivals, the network offers reliable liquidity and generous bonuses:

• Welcome and reload bonuses: New players on many iPoker skins, such as RedStar Poker, receive a 200 % first deposit bonus up to €2,000, released in €2 chunks as they earn status points. They also get tickets to €200 weekly freerolls and monthly reload bonuses of up to €300. Such offers provide 10 %–15 % effective rakeback, giving grinders a predictable reward.

• Freerolls and low‑buy‑in tournaments: The network runs daily freerolls and low‑stakes tournaments, from €1.10 satellites to €50 freezeouts. More experienced players can enter higher‑guarantee events like the €7,500 Daily Mosh Pit for €5.50. iPoker also offers Blaze fast‑fold cash tables and games like Twister (lottery Sit & Go). Although these formats are not unique, they ensure a broad selection of games.

• Themed promotions: iPoker periodically runs themed mini‑series. For example, in July 2025 the network rolled out a tennis‑themed promotion aligned with Wimbledon, featuring a Grand Slam Classic mini‑series with €500 k guaranteed across 25 events and buy‑ins from €25 to €500. Such episodic events keep the schedule varied without drastically altering the liquidity profile.

WPT Global launched in 2022 and quickly moved from a niche operator to a legitimate contender. It reached traffic levels similar to iPoker and PokerStars by 2024 and holds roughly 2 k concurrent players in mid‑2025. Several factors contributed to this growth:

• Generous welcome package: New players receive a 100 % deposit match up to $1,500 plus a package of free tournament tickets worth up to $287. The minimum deposit to claim the bonus is only $30, making the offer accessible.

• Innovative formats: WPT Global introduced Poker Flips, a simple betting game where players wager on the outcome of simulated hands; leaderboards award cash prizes and packages to major WPT events. The site’s Global Spins jackpot Sit & Go features a progressive jackpot funded by 1 % of buy‑ins; when the maximum prize multiplier triggers, the winner collects both the top payout and the accumulated jackpot. These tournaments start with different stack sizes depending on the multiplier, making higher multipliers play deeper. WPT Global also runs the $1‑for‑$1‑Million tournament, allowing players to compete for a $1 million prize pool with a $1 buy‑in.

• Mobile‑first software: The operator’s app focuses on ease of use and customization. Players can filter games, switch backgrounds and use detailed avatars. The mobile focus appeals to casual players and helps attract a wide international audience.

The downturn in August 2025 should be viewed within the broader seasonal cycle. Historically, traffic rebounds sharply in the final quarter as shorter days and major events draw players back. Several factors could influence the magnitude of the upcoming rebound:

• Winter festivals and marquee events: PokerStars’ Mystery Bounty Series in July 2025 attracted players despite summer doldrums. Late‑year festivals—such as GGPoker’s WSOP Express finals, WPT Global’s championships and iPoker’s autumn series—could accelerate player return.

• Regulated expansion: GGPoker’s entry into new markets like the Philippines and the Middle East increases the addressable player base. If additional jurisdictions open, overall liquidity may grow even if individual markets stagnate.

• Operator competition: GGPoker and PokerStars will likely continue aggressive promotions. GGPoker’s ability to integrate WSOP branding and deliver large guarantees (e.g., the $25 M New Year Giveaway) could sustain its lead, while PokerStars will aim to stem its decline with innovative formats and improved rewards.

• Economic environment: Rising inflation and economic uncertainty might dampen discretionary spending on online entertainment, but digital leisure activities often prove resilient. Operators offering low‑buy‑in events (such as WPT Global’s $1‑for‑$1‑Million and GGPoker’s micro‑stakes) are positioned to capture budget‑conscious players.

Prediction: Given these factors, a seasonal rebound is likely in Q4 2025, but it may fall short of the early‑2024 highs. GGPoker should maintain its dominant share, albeit at a lower absolute traffic level. WPT Global appears poised to solidify its position as a mid‑tier competitor, possibly overtaking PokerStars if the latter’s decline continues. iPoker will probably remain stable, benefitting from niche promotions and its established network. The industry’s long‑term growth will depend on sustained product innovation, regulatory expansion and the operators’ ability to engage recreational players with accessible formats and appealing rewards.