July 7, 2009 (CAP Newswire) — It was a no-brainer: When the Russian government announced it was following through with threats to ban gambling in that country almost completely, many observers speculated that poker, a sport not affected by the ban, would enjoy a huge burst of popularity.
Now, less than a week after the ban was implemented, Russia is already seeing signs of a surge of interest in poker. According to an article from today’s Moscow Times, viewership for televised poker shows is already climbing. Anton Nazarov, a spokesman for a Russian television company, commented: “There’s no doubt that the predicted growth of interest in poker as a sport in our country will attract new viewers.”
But poker isn’t the only niche to find a new audience in recent days. According to the article, a London casino has put together a special package aimed at attracting Russian gamblers, and providing them with an offshore equivalent of a high-rolling casino experience. As these London casinos show, it's a good time to be creative when appealing to the Russian gambling market — a lesson that casino affiliates should take seriously!