Keeping up with the latest strategy from Bodog (branded as Bovada for US online poker players) is a full time job these days. With recent closures of their network in 20 different countries, the new withdrawal from the UK and an announcement that they will focus on Asian markets thoughout he world…
For me the confusion is multiplied by the casino and betting brands remaining active in certain geos!
This post looks at the recent moves and suggests some cool alternatives for players who have been left out on a limb in different countries.
Lets start at the beginning, with a list of the 20 countries Bodog has recently exited + a alternative site of similar size who welcomes those excluded players:
Bodog 20 Countries List
Armenia,
Azerbaijan,
Belarus,
Bosnia,
Bulgaria,
Croatia,
Estonia,
Hungary,
Israel,
Kazakhstan,
Latvia,
Lithuania,
Macedonia,
Montenegro,
Romania,
Russia,
Serbia,
Slovenia,
Ukraine,
Uzbekistan
If you live in one of these countries then you can no longer play on either Bodog LV (the international client) or Bodog UK.
As a cool alternative I will suggest the fast-growing 888 Poker. This site have been around since the very beginnings of online poker, and attract a very beginner-focused crowd of players from all over the world. This makes the games fast, fun and easy to beat! Check out the super-cool 888 Poker for yourself now, and see why they are growing so fast!!
Bodog, The UK Withdrawal
It was a shock announcement for many players, with the apparently successful Bodog UK closing their doors to new players throughout Europe. The closure of the poker room leaves online poker on the Canadian site and the Bodog88 site, which is focused on Asian players.
At least one publication has suggested that any players wanting to keep playing at this site might be able to start a poker account at the Asian 88 site instead. Personally, I do not feel that this is the best option, at least until the new strategy for this group is clear… I am sure your money would be safe, it is just a hassle to keep changing rooms with no certainty that the poker will continue there either.
Again, 888 are of a broadly similar size, have far better software than Bodog ever had and look after their players really well… go on, check them out for yourself at 888 Poker.com!
Bovada / Bodog CA and Bodog88 – The Future
First off, the focus on Asian markets looks to be a shrewd strategic move. With growing wealth in the east and prosperous Asian communities throughout the world this is a gigantic market.
It appears to me that the focus for these markets will be the Casino and Sports-Betting crowd, with Poker as add-on. While poker players might wonder about this, the intensive efforts required to run a poker room – compared to the potential profit from this target market is probably the key cause of the ‘poker 3rd’ view that this poker network appears to be taking.
Will Bodog CA and Bovada continue to offer poker in the US / Canada respectively?
Well, if I had insider information like that, you would be the first to know!
Keep an eye on The Poker Bonus Network for the latest news on all the key poker sites – with none of the celebrity bulls*it!