Upstart Sponge Poker Looks For Support To Gain Market Share
Key Takeaways
  • Sponge Poker, has taken to crowd funding with hopes to raise $30,000 to increase its market share.
  • Players can “see” each others “actions” in real time during the hand, potentially giving off betting/folding tells or even generating false tells.
  • In order in incentivize players to contribute and play, the company is offering a variety merchandise, depending on the donation, as well as “bonus chips” for your online bankroll.

Upstart social poker site, Sponge Poker, has taken to crowd funding with hopes to raise money to help increase its market share.

Citing themselves as “the most realistic” poker game online, CEO Alex Kim and his team are hoping that their patent-pending interface, along with some incentives, can help them raise money to bring new players to their new platform.

Sponge Poker’s hook is their unique take on the traditional online poker interface. Players can “see” each others “actions” in real time during the hand, potentially giving off betting/folding tells or even generating false tells. According to the company, this makes for a more realistic experience, similar to if you were actually sitting across from an opponent, analyzing their every move.

Currently a Facebook app, the free-to-play game has created an Indiegogo fundraising page to try and take their game to the next level. Hoping to raise $30,000 in order to “pay the bills and attract more players,” Sponge Poker indicates that some of the money will be used to increase the development of the online game as well as create a marketing campaign.

In order in incentivize players to contribute and play, the company is offering a variety merchandise, depending on the donation, as well as “bonus chips” for your online bankroll.

With only 15 days left, the campaign has a long way to go if it is going to make its goal. As of this writing, only $285 has been raised. On Indiegogo though, they have Flexible Funding which allows Sponge Poker to receive funds regardless of if they meet their goal.

Trying to straddle the line between free-to-play madness and real-money poker, Sponge Poker also offers bankroll challenges for players to complete that will allow them to win real-money prizes which are paid out via PayPal.

The free-to-play social poker market is already a crowded one with big names like Zynga, PokerStars, WSOP and Ivey Poker all offering Facebook apps as well.