Key Takeaways

  • Online cash-game traffic rose 5% across a consistent group of networks, marking the strongest October increase in five years.
  • GGPoker added 130,485 daily tournament entries, while PokerStars and Winamax recorded combined declines.
  • PokerStars tournament entries fell 20.5% to 139,994, despite most of its WCOOP series falling within the reporting window.
  • CoinPoker’s cash-game traffic increased 6.3%, bringing it closer to PokerStars in the network rankings.

Online poker cash-game traffic recorded its strongest October increase in five years, while tournament entries held steady after declining in each of the previous four years, according to a new report from VIP-Grinders. The report, published on October 14, found that GGPoker drove much of the growth, while PokerStars saw daily tournament entries fall by more than 20%. The figures cover 36 online poker networks and use data from SharkScope Analytics through Poker Industry PRO. Although the overall numbers point to a stronger month for cash games, results varied by operator. GGPoker gained players and tournament entries, while PokerStars struggled to maintain activity during a period that included most of its World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) series.

GGPoker Drives Growth In Online Poker Traffic

Average concurrent cash-game seats increased 5% across 16 networks with comparable data dating back to 2022. The total rose from 16,033 to 16,838. By comparison, the same group posted gains of 0.1% to 0.8% in each of the previous four October periods. GGPoker led the gains, averaging 10,143 concurrent cash-game players over the 30-day reporting window, up 8.5% from September. It remained comfortably ahead of PokerStars, which averaged 2,156 players after a 5.2% monthly decline. CoinPoker followed closely at 2,057 players, up 6.3%.

Tournament activity also improved. Across 24 networks with comparable five-year data, daily entries held level in October, after declining 5.1% to 9.9% in each of the previous four years. Across all 36 networks in the report, daily tournament entries reached about 2.06 million, up 2% from September. GGPoker added 130,485 daily tournament entries, more than PokerStars and Winamax combined. Its tournament schedule included the Bounty Hunters series, which began on October 2, and the $5 Ocean KO Opener. The latter event attracted 420,084 entries, setting a new record for the largest poker tournament by entries.

The figures show that GGPoker contributed a lot to October’s overall tournament growth. However, the traffic measurements count entries and occupied cash-game seats, not unique individuals, so they should not be interpreted as a direct count of separate players.

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PokerStars Traffic Falls Despite WCOOP Series

PokerStars recorded a 20.5% month-on-month decline in daily tournament entries, which fell to 139,994. The reporting period included 18 days of its 25-day WCOOP series, which ran from September 6 to September 30. Cash-game traffic also declined, leaving the network with an average of 2,156 concurrent players. The report does not establish a single reason for the drop. Tournament schedules can affect monthly comparisons, especially when major series begin or end during the measured period. Still, the figures show that the WCOOP schedule did not prevent PokerStars’ average daily entries from falling.

The network’s position has also become a topic of discussion among players. In an October 13 thread on Reddit, one player said they hadn’t noticed an increase in PokerStars traffic after a network expansion and asked whether players should consider moving to GGPoker. Replies offered differing views, including comments about player numbers and each platform’s appeal.

Other operators posted mixed results. CoinPoker’s daily tournament entries increased 23.4% to 73,911, while cash-game traffic rose 6.3% to 2,057 players. WPT Global’s tournament entries increased 24.2% to 90,321, despite a 3% decline in its cash-game average. Winamax, meanwhile, saw daily tournament entries drop 17.5%, although its cash-game traffic rose 8.3%.

The data has limitations. VIP-Grinders uses reported figures from SharkScope Analytics through Poker Industry PRO, meaning the rankings cover participating networks rather than every online poker operator. Cash-game numbers measure occupied real-money seats, not unique players, while tournament figures count entries. October’s results therefore show uneven performance rather than a uniform rise in activity. GGPoker led growth in both cash games and tournaments, while PokerStars recorded declines in both measures.