Online Poker Networks and Skins

There are hundreds of online poker rooms to choose from, but there’s not as much actual choice as you might think. Many online poker rooms belong to an online poker network, and are often called ‘poker skins’. These online poker sites share the same software and players. Although some online poker networks allow their skins some flexibility in the promotions that they offer, they are essentially the same. You could easily be sat at a 9 handed table on one online poker room and be playing against 8 other players from completely different online poker rooms or ’skins’.

What’s the point of online poker networks?

An online poker room isn’t going to succeed without a certain ‘critical mass’ of poker players. Unlike casino games where you play against the house, a poker room needs real players, and plenty of them. Poker networks are ideal for the providers because by joining a network they can instantly have player traffic, even if they don’t ‘own’ the players or directly profit from them. They’re also ideal for poker players, since more players provide a greater choice of games.

Do all online poker rooms belong to networks?

No, the 3 biggest online poker rooms, Poker Stars, Full Tilt Poker, and Party Poker are independent. They are very big poker sites which don’t need to be on a network because they have enough players.