Online poker cash-game traffic rose 5% in October, the strongest October increase in five years, according to a report from SCCG based on VIP-Grinders data. Average concurrent cash-game seats across 16 networks with comparable data climbed from 16,033 to 16,838. Tournament entries held level at about 2.06 million daily, which is notable because they had fallen between 5.1% and 9.9% in each of the previous four Octobers.
Behind the headline numbers, the story is a familiar one: GGPoker is gaining ground and PokerStars is losing it, while crypto-focused rooms are growing quickly from smaller bases. Here is a closer look at the data, the caveats and what it means for players.
The Headline Numbers
The report covers data from 36 networks, sourced from SharkScope Analytics via Poker Industry PRO. The metrics count occupied seats and entries, not unique players, so a single person multi-tabling counts multiple times. The key figures:
- Cash-game traffic: up 5%, with average concurrent seats rising from 16,033 to 16,838 across 16 networks with comparable data.
- Tournament entries: roughly level at about 2.06 million daily.
- Historic comparison: tournament entries fell 5.1% to 9.9% in each of the previous four Octobers.
The previous four years show that tournament volume declined during October each time. A flat result is therefore better than the recent trend.
GGPoker Keeps Winning
GGPoker averaged 10,143 concurrent cash-game players, up 8.5%. Its daily tournament entries were also up, with SCCG citing a gain of 130,485. The report ties this partly to the Ocean KO Opener, which drew a record 420,084 entries, the largest poker tournament by entries to date. We covered the record in detail in our report on GGPoker's Ocean KO Opener.
SCCG's analysis is that GGPoker's growth from targeted promotions is shifting competitive pressure onto legacy networks. That fits with a year in which the room has launched new loyalty programs and aggressive series. Our earlier reports on GGPoker's cash-game traffic and the record traffic and market growth describe the longer trend.
PokerStars Slips
PokerStars posted weaker numbers. Daily tournament entries fell 20.5% to 139,994, and cash-game traffic fell 5.2% to an average of 2,156 players. An important caveat: the reporting window covered 18 of the 25 days of its WCOOP series, which ran from September 6 to September 30. Because the comparison period includes a large portion of a major series, interpret the figure with care. Still, the decline in cash-game traffic is not explained by series timing alone.
Crypto and Other Networks Gain
Several smaller networks posted strong gains:
- CoinPoker: cash-game traffic up 6.3% to 2,057 players. Tournament entries up 23.4% to 73,911.
- WPT Global: tournament entries up 24.2% to 90,321.
- Winamax: tournament entries down 17.5%, while cash-game traffic rose 8.3%.
CoinPoker's numbers are especially interesting. It matched PokerStars' cash-game average in the reported data, with 2,057 players against 2,156 for PokerStars. CoinPoker also staged its record-breaking The One tournament in October, and a push to build marquee events appears to be paying off. For more on the crypto side of the market, read our guides to crypto poker and bitcoin poker.
WPT Global's growth fits with its recent rise in the traffic rankings. See our coverage of WPT Global's top four ranking for context.
Reading the Data Carefully
There are good reasons to be cautious with traffic reports:
- The data counts seats and entries, not individual people. A multi-tabling grinder inflates the totals.
- Series timing can distort comparisons. PokerStars' WCOOP overlapped most of the reporting window, while GGPoker's Bounty Hunters series was running during October.
- Not all networks report the same way, and 16 of 36 networks had comparable cash-game data. Many networks, particularly regulated US and European sites, are not fully visible.
- Short-term moves may reverse. A single big promotion can lift traffic for weeks, then fade.
For comparison, our earlier look at August 2026 online poker traffic and network concentration shows how the market has been consolidating around a small number of large rooms.
Why Traffic Matters to Players
Traffic is more than an industry statistic. It affects the player experience in practical ways.
More players means more tables at more stakes, shorter waits for seats and better game selection. Higher traffic generally supports a wider range of formats, including smaller-stakes games where recreational players are most numerous. It also determines whether you can find a game at your preferred time of day.
On the other hand, concentration of traffic on a single network raises concerns about competition. If one room continues to take share, it has less incentive to offer competitive rakeback and promotions. Players should keep an eye on rakeback offers and compare them with competitors, and our explainer on what is rakeback shows how to evaluate them.
What This Means for US Players
Most of the networks in the data are not available to US residents. US players typically rely on regulated state sites in places like Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan, or on offshore networks that accept US players. Our guide to US online poker lists the options, and our report on US online poker traffic across ACR, Chico and WPN offers a look at the offshore segment. If you play on one of those sites, compare their cash-game liquidity before choosing a room. Our cash games page and the Americas Cardroom review are good starting points.
What to Watch Next
- Whether GGPoker's growth continues after the Bounty Hunters Series ends.
- Whether PokerStars regains traffic once its WCOOP comparison period drops out of the data.
- Whether tournament entries hold steady into November.
- Whether CoinPoker's The One-driven gains persist.
The SCCG take is that operators should weigh series timing and format against measurable traffic results. That is sound advice, and it suggests that the next few months may see more experimentation with big-field, high-variance formats like those driving GGPoker's growth.
Bottom Line
October delivered the best cash-game traffic growth in five years and a stable tournament market after four years of October declines. GGPoker and crypto-focused rooms led the gains, while PokerStars lost ground. For players, the numbers are a reminder to track where the liquidity is, because that is where the best games and promotions tend to appear.