California online poker market worth up to USD 384 million

The researchers analyzed data on 4.6 million real money online poker players in 2009 and 2010, near the peak of unregulated poker in the U.S. They found that 178,300 online poker players in California generated an average of $867 per year in revenue for the poker operators, creating a us$ 155 million market. California players accounted for 16% of US revenue and 4% of worldwide revenue in online poker.

"Under regulation, online poker is expected to grow well beyond its previous peak," says Professor Kahlil Philander, one of the authors of the study.
California is the single largest market in the U.S. and can sustain a flourishing market on its own. However, as the other author of the study, Dr. Ingo Fiedler, points out, "The size of the market depends strongly on the decision to either limit the player pool to in-state residents or participate in a federal or international network of players."

In the event of a California-only player pool, revenue is expected to grow from us$ 217 million in the first year of operations to us$ 263 million in year ten – about us$ 120 million below its potential. The study further points out that taxes will have an important impact on the market size.