Marketers in the casino gaming industry have long utilized TV, film, and news stories to create a positive image of their sector. However, more recently, the representation of poker in film and TV has become a popular form of marketing, encompassing a broad spectrum of perceptions. 

There are the ultra-cool depictions, such as those of James Bond, portrayed by several smooth operators over the years. In these films and books, poker is shown to be the game of choice for the world’s most famous fictional agent, and it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that it paints the game as cool, risky, but ultimately, a risk that is worth it. 

If we swing the pendulum in the opposite direction, there are films such as Rounders, which, in my opinion, is one of Matt Damon’s most underrated films. It focuses on the tribulations that can emerge for those poker players who do not know how to stay within their limits and the perils that can come with it, so there are two ways to dissect this question. 

Adapting To Technological Innovations

The perception of poker is something that moves with the current technological environment. Obviously, the clearest example of this in the modern market is AI, but it has been prevalent in the world of poker since the internet’s emergence in the mid-1990s. 

Although online poker has a significant market share, many people still prefer to play through other means. In comparison to other areas of the casino gaming world, it has been able to adjust impressively to the rise of smartphones and other technology. 

Ultimately, it’s this change in direction that has caused software companies and casino gaming platforms to think on their feet. Playing poker online requires a different set of skills, and while you’re not going to see 007 sitting on a poker machine in the next Bond film, it’s an area of the poker industry that is gathering more attention. 

More marketing campaigns are pivoting toward digital versions of the game. As companies invest substantial sums of money and time in AI, more sophisticated algorithms that dictate the future of the sector are almost inevitable. With this in mind, though, its presence in the media is something that shouldn’t be understated or overlooked, especially from a marketing standpoint. 

Why Media Representation Matters 

Advertising and marketing strategies are the backbone of any industry. While these goalposts have moved significantly, with changes accelerated by the universe of online marketing, social media, and everything that comes with it, poker can, in many ways, transcend these conventional barriers by leveraging its presence in media and film.

Casino Royale showcases Bond at its best; it’d be hard to find a critic or fan who doesn’t cite it as the quintessential Daniel Craig version of Bond. For many, it is one of the best films of the franchise, dating back to Dr No. 

With the most thrilling scene focusing on the tension and adrenaline of a high-stakes poker game, it’s a movie that highlights Bond’s suaveness and subtly asserts poker’s presence as a game for those with a cool head and a stylish look. Playing poker against amateurs, as you can see below, is a different kettle of fish from games that have $100 million in the prize pool, but its image in the media appeals to poker players right across the skill spectrum. 

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The Power Of Digital Advertising

Traditional advertisers working in TV, radio, and newspapers have been bound by several frameworks that have prevented them from advertising poker using specific types of language. Newspapers, radio, and local TV used to be the epicentre of advertising, and were the first port of call for job boards and keeping in tune with the local community. 

As all of this shifted online, digital advertisers were able to use their websites and social media pages to morph their marketing to a digital audience. Although TV and media help to promote the presence of poker in the broader context of the online casino gaming industry, social media is quickly becoming the primary means for poker brands to advertise. 

If they can do it successfully and carve out an audience via this medium, then they quickly emerge as one of the strongest brands in the market. 

Balancing The Books

James Bond playing poker inevitably instills positive imagery about the game in the audience’s eyes. Still, it’s part of a dated image that movie bosses are in the process of adapting to a modern audience. With the number of online gamblers continuing to surge in the modern digital market, there needs to be context that also showcases the harm that can arise from excessive gambling. 

While the media might be one of the most engaging ways to bring people on board and get them thinking about poker, if characters are constantly winning high-stakes poker games, then this is not a fair or accurate representation of what the industry is about. 

By offsetting this with films such as Rounders and Uncut Gems, which provide an accurate portrayal of what chronic and problem gambling can look like, this helps to offer a genuine representation of what problem gambling can entail. 

As long as the industry can keep up with this changing dynamic and continue to present both sides of the coin, media representation will play a vital role in attracting a new audience and keeping current audiences engaged.