Most experienced online poker players have come to accept the fact that the game is no longer filled with easy money. Nearly all players know at least a little poker strategy, and information is readily available with just a few clicks of the mouse. This being said, many people are doom and gloom about the prospects for growth because the boom is over.
But Global Poker Index (GPI) owner Alexandre Dreyfus isn’t one of these people. The businessman has run several successful ventures within the poker world, including Winamax, GPI, iGamingFrance.com, Chilipoker, FantasyPokerManager, and his latest acquisition, HendonMob. Dreyfus agrees that poker is no longer offering the dream of quick money like it did in the mid-2000’s. However, he also doesn’t believe this marks a drop in the game’s appeal.
“I believe that, like in any industry or life, there are cycles. We are at the end of the golden age of poker, both online and live,” he said. “Does it mean it’s the end? Of course not. I wouldn’t invest millions, literally, if I thought so. It’s just different and we are now starting to build a real industry, one that will be there for another decade. There is no room anymore for easy money, it’s a challenge and only committed people will survive.”
If Dreyfus didn’t truly believe what he’s saying, then he wouldn’t have purchased HendonMob recently. This is the world’s most comprehensive poker tournament database and is accessed by tens of thousands of players every day. The businessman will also be busy keeping up with the GPI, which will help the European Poker Tour determine its Player of the Year.
As for what he sees happening within the US in the near future, Dreyfus thinks that we’re a long ways off from pre-Black Friday levels. But he does see some positive things happening on the US front and thinks there are still opportunities here. “Money was easy five or 10 years ago, now we need to be smarter and work harder to make it happen,” he stated. “I see poker evolving, growing and we need to stop comparing poker as it was before. It will never be. It will be better, in many ways.”
Dreyfus is definitely right in that poker is not the same as it was before Black Friday. But it’s exciting to hear him talk about the potential that’s still there and how the game should continue evolving and growing as a “real industry.”