PokerMatch is a Ukrainian based online poker room that was established in 2016. A lot of players are unfamiliar with this poker room, especially those outside Eastern Europe. PokerMatch is currently creating a lot of noise in the world of poker after climbing to the top of online traffic rankings, officially overtaking PokerStars.
PokerMatch Dominates Despite Limited Reach
The Ukrainian operator’s rapid rise in popularity has shaken up the global online poker industry, which for a long time has been dominated by the bigger, more experienced operators.
PokerMatch is headquartered in Ukraine, but the site’s Antillephone gaming license, granted by the government of Curacao, allows it to serve customers in other countries that do not currently implement a local licensing system. Even so, the site’s global exposure still pale in comparison with major sites like PokerStars, IDNPoker, GGPoker, partypoker, and 888poker.
Considering that it only has a limited reach and is currently not available in major regulated markets such as the US, Spain, France, Italy, and the UK, the fact that PokerMatch still managed to attract an overwhelming number of players says a lot about the core of its operations.
PokerMatch CEO Ruslan Bangert said their recent success comes as a result of their commitment to innovation and “non-standard” marketing.
“Innovative Poker Tables” Drive Massive Surge in Traffic
PokerMatch has stayed at the top of PokerScout’s Worldwide Online Poker Sites Traffic Report since March 30, recording a seven-day average of 8,400 players. PokerStars who has topped the traffic charts for a long time is attracting a seven-day average of 7,000 players.
Understandably, PokerStars still commands a huge lead in terms of 24-hour peak, 11,485 against 7,910. It also has the highest number of active players at more than 55,000, compared to PokerMatch which has just over 7,600.
Regardless, the Ukrainian online poker room’s seven-day stats are enough to put it at No. 1 in PokerScout’s online traffic rankings. So what propelled PokerMatch’s newly found success? Bengart credits the massive rise in numbers to their recently-launched promotion.
Miner’s Jackpot Promotion
Miner’s Jackpot incorporates a unique twist to the traditional jackpot games, in that all players compete in auto all-in mode. It does not require them to keep their eyes glued to the table while playing, as they can just leave it open and return to doing their normal activities while the game is active.
The promotion includes a leaderboard wherein each of the top 100 players will be awarded with 200 free spins in the Inferno Joker game from Play’n GO. What more, players also get the chance to win the Bad Beat jackpot in every hand. The loser of the deal gets 50% of the jackpot, with 20% going to the winner of the deal. The remaining 30% is distributed to the other players involved in the deal at the table.
After the launch of Miner’s Jackpot, PokerMatch saw its online traffic increase by around 10x in just 10 days. No wonder it quickly improved its standing, eventually dethroning PokerStars.
The Next GGPoker?
The Ukrainian operator’s quick rise to prominence is reminiscent of GGPoker’s early years.
GGPoker started operating in 2014, but it initially catered to players within Asia. It achieved massive success in the region, attracting a huge number of players in China and Southeast Asia in particular. In 2016, GGPoker subsequently expanded to the UK, Canada, and parts of Europe. Since then, it has grown to become one of the largest and most prominent online poker brands in the world, with the potential to surpass long-time leader PokerStars.
With the current buzz around PokerMatch, it could very well follow in GGPoker’s footsteps. The first step to reaching new heights would be to expand its operations globally, and acquire gaming licenses in other jurisdictions to reach more players. It’s going to be a challenging journey, but PokerMatch has already gotten off to a good start.
It’s still uncertain whether PokerMatch will be able to maintain its current status through to the next few weeks, especially as the massive $100M-GTD SCOOP, PokerStars’ biggest-guaranteed online festival ever, is just around the corner. We will stay tuned for new developments.