Innovations Flow as Market Leaders Unleash More Online Poker Streams

Online poker and Twitch are coming together like never before thanks to new moves by PokerStars and Partypoker.

Arlie Shaban is among the latest batch of players being used to promote online poker on Twitch. (Image: Twitter/@ArlieShaban)

Although operators have been utilizing the live streaming platform for the last five years, the market leaders are now upping their games.

Announced this week, PokerStars has added 12 new players to social media line-up. Heading the new team of streamers will be 12 Labors’ hero, Arlie Shaban.

Shaban Back to Stream for PokerStars

After winning over the community and a free Platinum Pass in 2018, Shaban has been drafted as a PokerStars Ambassador. Joining him will be fellow OP_Poker streamers, James Mackenzie, Nick Walsh and Eva Reberc.

Alongside the quartet of new Ambassadors, eight players will spearhead PokerStars Streamers.

Almost in sync with its rival, Partypoker announced a deal with Kevin Martin. An established figure on the platform, the Canadian initially cut his teeth as a radio presenter.

Like PokerStars’ Shaban, Martin was also a contestant on Big Brother Canada. However, unlike his counterpart, he emerged from the infamous reality show as a winner.

Parlaying his exposure into a loyal Twitch following, Martin will now work to increase Partypoker’s presence on the streaming site.

Twitch Changing Online Poker

As the fight for supremacy in the online poker world continues, Twitch is emerging as another interesting battleground.

Looking back through history, poker’s links with Twitch date back to 2015. With pioneers such as Jason Sommerville inspiring others to follow suit, streaming has become a way of connecting with new demographics.

Indeed, with more than 15 million daily users, it’s now one of the leading broadcast platforms in the world. Alongside its burgeoning userbase, Twitch has long been known as a gaming platform.

With poker and competitive gaming sharing a number of crossover, operators are starting to see the value in sponsoring streamers.

Following the latest signings, PokerStars and Partypoker have more than 20 high-profile players providing free content. As online poker evolves, it’s these innovations that will keep new players rolling in.

However, for established pros, this may not be the positive it once was. With operators tailoring more of their products towards this influx of casuals, high-volume players believe they’re losing value.

So, while Twitch may be helping the industry at large, it may end up sinking some player’s fortunes.

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