Winamax Usurps PokerStars In French Online Poker Market

PokerStars is accustomed to monopolizing the individual regulated markets it enters across the globe, which is why the poker headlines have recently been dominated by PokerStars.fr now playing second fiddle to Winamax in France. According to the latest stats from PokerScout, Winamax.fr is currently enjoying a 35% lead over its nearest rival in terms of cash game traffic, with 1,250 players over a seven-day period compared to just 900 for PokerStars.fr.
Winamax.fr started gaining on PokerStars.fr back in August 2013 when it first launched its 3 max hyper-turbo format called Expresso Poker, which subsequently resulted in scores of PokerStars players migrating over to Winamax’s online poker rooms. Recently, PokerStars.fr has attempted to counter the move by introducing its own version of the game called ‘Spin & Go’ which gives players a chance to win up to 1,000 times their initial buy-ins, but the manoeuvre seems to have resulted in many of its own cash game players shifting over and trying their luck at the site’s 3 max mini tournament, instead.
Furthermore, there may be more bad news on the horizon for PokerStars.fr, too, and as cardschat.com reporter Elbert Pruitt, explains: “Although PokerStars France attempted to regain its base with its own Spin & Go offerings, the site’s cash games traffic is down 20 percent compared to before the introduction of Spin & Go. And worse yet, the figure of 20 percent could potentially be even larger, considering the fall season is when cash games typically grow in traffic.”
In addition to now being France’s top online poker site, Winamax.fr also trumps PokerStars.fr in the sponsored pro department, too, and whilst the Amaya Gaming site can only boast two sponsored members in the guise of Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier and Vanessa Rousso, Winamax.fr employs a full roster of pros, including such players as Davidi Kitai, Sylvain Loosli, Bruno Lopes, Ludovic Lacay, Gaëlle Baumann, Michel Abecassis, Ludovic Riehl, Patrick Bruel, and Yann Del Rey.