ESSENCE

Essence is the principle behind Ongame Network’s new online poker business model which values cash game players across the global network in an entirely new way: according to their style of play.

As of 15 July 2010 Essence is being applied to network-wide cash games. Essence captures the truer value of all network players by factoring in game and level choice, frequency and timing of play, opponent and table selection, pot contribution, playing speed and performance over the previous 90 active days, i.e. their style of play. Letting Essence fuel our new business model changes the long-term revenue flow for all network stakeholders. Essence is fully integrated into all Ongame Network systems and is a real-time solution ushering in a healthier and more prosperous poker ecosystem for Ongame Network’s partners.

The new Essence fuelled business model embraces all player types, while simultaneously cutting down incentives for intra-network cannibalism without the need to penalize partners. The return on investment on attracting and retaining a broader player base is improved.

Ongame Network believes in managing a sustainable poker ecosystem that delivers long term profitability for all stakeholders by building on our heritage of liquidity management expertise. We are taking a leadership stance by changing how players are valued, in setting up incentives to attract a broader player base and therefore a healthy poker environment with sustained revenue growth in order to achieve a more profitable, sustainable and better balanced poker ecosystem and thus transforming the entire value chain, from affiliate to network.

Ongame Network welcomes all players. The Essence fuelled business model delivers our goal of making poker available for every suitable need – catering for those who play very large amounts and make a living out of it, and for those who play just a couple of recreational hands per month. Ongame Network expects this change will remove incentives to run price campaigns as the value of marketing to players who only play poker for a living is reduced. Marketing poker as mass-entertainment will deliver a higher return on investment as the value of attracting players who contribute more to the network ecology is increased.

Essence has a wider scope than its first use to power Ongame Network’s new poker business model for cash games and the subsequent new way of distributing loyalty program player points. Further uses of Essence are being evaluated and could be introduced at a later stage.

Ongame Network has taken the initiative to evolve the online poker business model by launching Essence. This a different approach to other poker network operators and above all, allows retaining all players that are already customers – quite unlike the competition’s approach.