) study of online poker betting records, suggesting that players’ levels of involvement are similar to those from ten years ago despite numerous changes to the online poker environment. Our results were similar to those reported in LaPlante et al.’s (Comput Hum Behav 25(3):711–717, 2009. We identified the top 1% by total overall spend as a subgroup of highly involved players with disproportionately higher financial involvement (median total overall spend: €272,581.4) and time commitment (median number of sessions: 1149). We found that overall financial involvement (median total overall spend: €439.7) and time commitment (median number of sessions: 43) during the two-year study period were relatively moderate. The present study examined online poker playing trends based on actual electronic betting records data for 2489 subscribers to a major global internet gambling operator from 2015 to 2017. Technological advancements and worldwide television exposure led to a poker boom in the early 2000s, and poker (both live and online) has retained some of that popularity today.

Taking poker players in tournaments