In 2005, statements from Richard Segal, then chief of poker giant Party Gaming, rocked the online casino world and caused share prices in the industry to drop sharply. Now similar comments made by 888’s chief executive John Anderson have left some analysts wondering if the prevailing mood in the industry will deter potential investors and cause the usually dynamic gaming world to temporarily slump.

In an interview with the UK Financial Times last week, John Anderson made several pessimistic predictions on the future of online gambling, which were widely reported by international media. Among his comments was one indicating that the online poker bubble is destined to burst and that the numbers of new casino players signing up with gaming companies is unsustainable in the future.

"The exponential rates we have seen just can't keep going," said Anderson. "If it keeps going no one in the world will be working. We'll all be playing online poker!"

While Anderson’s comments have predictably caused concern in the industry, there are those who have spoken out in opposition to Anderson’s views. Marketing director at PKR.com, Simon Prodger, has issued a statement advising that although exponential growth in poker would be rare, there remain healthy growth rates in all markets which could last for years.
"At the moment every poker site's idea of product development is to add blackjack, which isn't really developing the product for the user," said Prodger. "Rumors suggest 100 million poker players worldwide, so if that's true you're looking at two per cent of the market playing online in any given month. Poker videogames often sell two to three million units and that's often more people than are playing online."
Several analysts have commented that Anderson’s statements are in contradiction with those he made earlier in a September interview with The Times. "Our reliance on the US market is low and internet penetration is still at a very low level," Anderson said at the time, in response to questions concerning 888’s poor quarterly results.

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