Poker Boom

1. The period of poker history that spans from 2002 to 2006, book-ended by the creation of the World Poker Tour and the passing of Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA).

Boom and Bust

The history of poker in the online poker era is still young, but it's certain that the time period from 2002-2006 saw unprecedented growth in the poker industry that is not likely to be replicated soon.

Although the UIGEA effectively put an end to the boom by forcing sites like Party Poker out of the US market, the infrastructure that developed during those years remains in place today, and poker has still expanded in other markets like Europe and Latin America.

Age of the Online Professional

The poker boom is considered the golden age of recent poker history, primarily due to a surge in the number of new players entering the game. This allowed for the creation of entirely new subcategory of player, the "online pro."