The importance of cooperation

I was first introduced to the term 'coopetition' a decade ago by a friend developing a new online poker network. I latched on to it as a model for the gaming industry - both online and live. The term refers to the combining of competition and cooperation - working together for the greater good of the industry. Unfortunately, as an industry, we haven't always achieved coopetition in a meaningful way but it should remain a goal all the same.

The international gaming industry in general, and particularly the internet side, are used to operating under siege - from often vocal 'anti-gaming' interests. However, gambling (and poker specifically) attracts millions of people around the world who see this as their entertainment of choice. Mobilising players should continue to be the cornerstone of any advocacy efforts undertaken by our industry.

Frankly, the land-based gaming industry has been slow to shore up our industry's image. The online gaming side was forced into addressing issues like responsible gambling at a younger age, given the fickleness and portability of its clientele. Both aspects of the gaming industry should be working together as a united front on educating the public about issues like problem and underage gambling as well as other social responsibility activities.

When it comes to coordinated policy advocacy efforts, we've become more fragmented over the years. I was involved in founding and chairing one of the first associations in the i-gaming industry, the Interactive Gaming Council. That experience alone was like herding cats.

But search online for 'gaming associations' these days and the number of results is staggering. There are associations for gaming operators, suppliers, regulators, attorneys and players, on both the online and terrestrial sides of the industry.

This doesn't mean that coopetition is a pipe dream but just means it's difficult to achieve with a myriad of parochial interests to overcome. But as before, it remains a noble goal.

The poker business holds probably the best avenue for this to be achieved. Poker is one of the few gaming niches where there truly is convergence between the i-gaming side and the land-based operations. If you remember back to the beginning of the poker craze, there was fear that the online product would cannibalise what relatively little poker room activity there was at the time. With the advent of the World Poker Tour, the growth of the WSOP and such international leaders like PartyPoker, it was clear that it was fueling a rebirth of the game, exposing it to millions of new players globally. Land-based casinos began devoting even more space to poker rooms as lines developed to wait for a seat at a table.

From our World Poker Congress, it's clear that there are many synergies between online and terrestrial operators who work together on tournaments, satellite events and a number of other partnerships.

Coopetition can be achieved by making progress in the following key areas:

• Supporting and publicising the efforts of any national or regional organisations advocating for poker to be recognised as a sport.

• Supporting the programs of the many new player alliances.

• Encouraging existing gaming associations to include poker in their policy advocacy efforts.

• Publicising the unfair treatment of poker activities on local levels.

• Utilising the player associations in any political efforts so that politicians will listen to their poker-playing constituents.

However, this is just a start. Poker is a growing mainstream activity and source of entertainment for millions around the world. It should begin to be treated as such. But it won't be unless we all put aside parochial interests and develop a united front to tackle this on a global scale.