Over the last decade or so, the growth of online poker and online gambling (including sports betting, casino, bingo and other forms of gambling) around the world has been more than evident.
There is constantly news about gambling legislation or regulation for poker, the opening of the US market, the launching of a new online betting venue or the development of huge casino complexes in Russia, Sri Lanka and the United States.
Another common trend lately is the sponsorship of famous athletes and sports teams by online gambling companies and many current and former sports legends have turned to playing poker and representing such online rooms in live events.
Companies & Market, a firm specializing in writing up market reports, has recently published a document predicting that the gambling and poker industries will grow to be worth £110 billion within 5 years. The figure, if accurate, will represent almost 30% increase from current figures which would mean almost 6% of annual growth per year.