Because it pits players directly against one another, poker is a different beast than most other forms of gambling. While that competitive aspect represents much of the appeal for many players, it does present some unique challenges for operators.
There is, for starters, a minimum level of activity needed for a poker room to be viable. From a player’s perspective, the experience of playing slots or blackjack doesn’t depend much on how many virtual seats are filled. When it comes to poker, however, the number of players online at one time — liquidity — is critical.