Thanks to its popularity, online poker has held its own during the recession, an expert has said.

The popularity of online poker has meant that it has coped well in the economic downturn despite a small drop in spending, an expert has said.

Recent research from Mintel suggested that spending on online poker had fallen by seven per cent in the UK this year due to the effects of the recession, with the industry generating £247 million (C$432 million) across the year.

Dave Woods, editor-in-chief of the UK's PokerPlayer magazine, explained that while recreational players may have been slightly keener to keep their money in their pockets, the market has fared better than many others.

He said: "I think it has held up pretty well really considering the percentage drops that you look at across other genres, or other parts of the economy."

Writers at PokerPlayer, which is the country's biggest-selling poker magazine, have not noticed much of a drop in online play, Mr Woods added.

The industry will recover in 2010, he predicted, adding that this year's drop in spending could be attributed to an increase in the number of people playing in live tournaments and at clubs.