A short time ago, 888 Holdings announced plans to bring their new gaming platform titled Orbit to New Jersey. The new platform is set to bring an enhanced experience to users and with the online gambling industry booming in the Garden State, having a new platform could give 888 a push to obtain more of the market share. Orbit was presented to investors back in June and is expected to have a large impact on the online gambling business of the brand.
Now, reports have surfaced that 888 is preparing to bring their Poker8 platform to the US as well. The platform was first launched in April in international markets and should be the focus of the company in the US once Orbit is in full swing.
Poker8 Platform
The Poker8 platform will provide a quality experience for players but will start a bit different than traditional upgrades. Usually, a poker platform redesign will include changes in the lobby. 888 decided not to mess with the lobby and have kept the design the same.
For now, major changes to the platform can be seen via the gaming tables. For starters, the graphics have been improved so that the tables appear less cluttered than before. There will no longer be a widgets side bar at the table as well as the chat window, which was large in size, has been removed. Players can now see the chat in a pop-out window.
The software has included a brand-new hand replayer, so members can review the decisions made in previous hands with ease. The action from the last hand can easily be viewed without having to open the replay. The mouse is held over the icon and the information plays.
For many players, online poker gaming is all about customization. With Poker8, players have access to a ton of customizable options. There are several new table themes available, so members can easily create a table they enjoy, and the themes have various formats as well. New avatars have been added, so players can choose from more options than before.
Coming to the United States
When investors were provided with insight into Orbit in June, 888 also provided information on the Poker8 platform, stating they have plans to bring the option to New Jersey. A launch date has not been provided but it would probably be safe to assume that once Orbit is fully operational with no issues, that the option would become available.
In New Jersey, online casino games reign supreme so it makes sense to focus on Orbit first. In the state, online poker has lagged behind, earning barely $1 million a month in revenues. In comparison to the online casino industry, this is tens of millions behind. In general, the online casino gaming industry earns around $35 million on a monthly basis.
Launching a new platform would be enticing to players and might help 888 secure the top spot when it comes to online poker gaming, but revenue potential is clearly in the online casino gaming sector. It will be interesting to see how the company fares with the new Orbit platform as well as Poker8 once it is launched in New Jersey and beyond.
888 currently operates online poker gaming in New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware. We imagine if the option becomes available in the Garden State it will launch in the two other states as well.
