Poker Central Launches $99 Streaming Service

May 24th, 2017 | by Jason Reynolds

Poker Central, the official broadcast partner of the World Series of Poker (WSOP), has launched a new pay-to-watch streaming service.

Poker Central launches a new $99 streaming service that will show exclusive WSOP and tournament content online. (Image: Twitter/@PokerGO)

Following the announcement that poker fans will be able to watch WSOP content via Poker Central’s online channels, the broadcaster has made its PokerGO service live.

Costing $99 for an annual subscription or $10 for a monthly pass, the on demand service is available via PokerGO.com and will give poker fans access to online and mobile content.

The Place to GO for WSOP Content

With the WSOP set to dominate Poker Central’s summer schedule, subscribers to the new service will get to see action from the festival’s marquee events. Although some WSOP events will still be free to watch via ESPN or Poker Central’s other digital channels, tournaments such as the $111,111 High Roller for One Drop will only be available to PokerGO users.

In addition to WSOP coverage, the $300,000 buy-in Super High Roller Bowl will be streamed via PokerGO, as will original content throughout the rest of 2017.

Whether or not poker fans are willing to pay to watch 100+ live events and exclusive shows remains to be seen, but what the launch of PokerGO does suggest is that the industry is in a strong position.

As companies like Poker Central, the Global Poker League and others push to make the game a spectator sport, interest in streamed content is increasing. Twitch and YouTube stars such as Jason Somerville and Doug Polk now attract thousands of viewers each month, while tournaments big and small now make compulsive online viewing.

In this regard, poker streams are at an all-time high, which could be a sign that Poker Central is onto something with its new service.

Zynga Joins with Poker Central

As well as announcing the launch of a paid for streaming channel, Poker Central confirmed a new sponsorship deal with Zynga. The gaming company is behind one of the largest social poker sites in the world and will now add its branding to the $300,000 Super High Roller Bowl.

Joining Amazon Appstore, Zynga will have “branded broadcast integrations” during this summer’s high roller event and further coverage during future events throughout 2017.

As with the increase in streaming content, a deal with brands such as Zynga is another sign that online and TV content is starting to gain some traction.