PartyPoker to Make Improvements in Its Online Software in 2015
PartyPoker will make improvements to its online gambling software for New Jersey gamblers in the coming months. When improvements are made, it will be easier for players to know which tables are available for gaming without constant check-ins to the lobby.
The software developers are still in the design phase for their new upgrades. When completed, players should find their gaming experience on Borgata Online Casino to be more intuitive and efficient. Players have complained they were not given automatic updates when tables open up, which makes it harder to find a game. The improved player experience should make gamblers happy, while providing Borgata and other websites powered by PartyPoker software a boost to their revenues.
This should come as good news to everyone involved in Borgata’s success in the online gambling market. New Jersey lawmakers had predicted the online gaming industry might rake in $1 billion in revenues each year, but the first-year income fell far short of that prediction, at around $110 million. Improvements since the roll-out should naturally boost numbers in the second year, but nowhere near the range Governor Chris Christie once predicted.
Borgata Online
PartyPoker powers the Borgata Online gambling software, making it the most popular of the products in the New Jersey market. That has not kept players from complaining about the service provided by Borgata.
Despite the success of PartyPoker and Borgata, signups have been lower than expected throughout the course of the first year of the New Jersey websites’ operations. One of the common complaints Borgata gamblers have voiced is the waiting list problem at the Borgata lobby.
Waiting List Issues
When a gambler goes to an online poker room’s lobby, they are given a list of tables which are available. If no table exists which fits the needs of the player, then they join a waiting list. At many sites, the waiting list constantly updates, providing the player with a handy pick list of tables without checking on each one manually.
At the Borgata Poker site, such a list doesn’t appear. Prospective gamblers have to manually search through the list of available tables to find one they like. Also, they are not given automatic updates about their status. This can be a frustrating experience, which no doubt dampens enthusiasm and might drive away customers. Because such complaints often end up in online forums, such problems lead to bad word-of-mouth, which could further drive away potential players.
Expect a Better Wait List
When the updates are complete, PartyPoker software will offer a better wait list for Borgata Poker. Finding a table will be easier and more efficient, because players will be notified when a proper table opens up. All they have to do is set preferences to receive the appropriate, timely message.
This is an issue that has plagued Borgata players at least since May 2014, when gamblers signed a petition asking the software provider to improve their software. Over the months, the chorus has grown of players who want to see improvements. While the issue could have been fixed earlier, PartyPoker has a worldwide scope and therefore the wishes of any segment of their clientele might not receive proper attention immediately. Resources at a big company are still limited, so the 6-plus month delay still represents a fairly quick commitment to improve.
Improving Player Experiences
No word was issued on why the decision was made when it was, but reasonable observers can make a conjecture. Due to the slow growth in the customer base of the New Jersey websites, all the operators have searched for ways to increase traffic. One way is to improve player experiences. With that in mind, rectifying a longstanding major oversight is a good place to start. PartyPoker’s upgrade will help improve its numbers around the globe.
November 2014 was a good example of the New Jersey online gaming industry’s trends over the course of the year. The entire industry, including online poker rooms and online casinos, raked in $8.7 million. Of that, $3.4 million was collected by Borgata/PartyPoker.
In 2015, PartyPoker and Borgata could face stiff new competition. The status of PokerStars remains in limbo in New Jersey, but speculation continues to swirl that the purchase of PokerStars and FullTilt Poker by Amaya Gaming might open the door for the biggest poker room in the world to enter the market. At present, the licensing process is suspended, because PokerStars is considered a “bad actor” in the US gaming market, due to accepting players during the 2006 to 2010 period, when most card rooms did not.
