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PokerStars Announces Rake Hike -- PS New Jersey Is Live

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  1. #1

    Default PokerStars Announces Rake Hike -- PS New Jersey Is Live

    As most of you here on the FTR forums already know, PokerStars New Jersey is now live. It may be a very modest step towards a more positive outlook for U.S. online poker, yet it increases hope that the PS model will succeed in NJ and open up other opportunities in the States.

    Meanwhile however, PokerStars decided to combine their New Jersey launch with the wonderful announcement that rake will increase approximately 4 percent in select games starting next week (non-U.S. market).

    For those of you who have been following the PokerStars VIP Club benefits reduction from 2015, you're aware that major controversy has surrounded the world's largest poker site since it yanked the rug out from under players who stood to earn legacy payouts as a result of their volume in 2015.

    I've written about it until I'm blue in the fingertips and you can search for my work if you're interested, but I'd like to point our members' attention to a writeup published by Robbie Strazynski of CardPlayerLifestyle.

    The article accurately represents my own views about the latest combo-PR move by Stars, with a notable distinction that Robbie is able to communicate his ideas on this issue without the emotional tinge that I carry as an ex online poker pro. The general vilification of winning players is an argument that has never sat well with me, probably because having clear cut winners backs up the fundamental mantra that poker is a game of skill. It's difficult for me to restrain that bias at times, which is why I think Robbie was the best person to write this type of article that's critical of PokerStars' pending rake increases.

    Enough Already: It's Time for PokerStars to Halt Rake Increases

    Robbie fully discloses his recent paid trip to the Bahamas to cover the PCA (he bolded it in the first paragraph). He published some great interviews there -- and although we as forum members/online poker veterans are perhaps a little too seasoned for some of his work aimed at beginners -- it's still great to have A+ content being delivered to recreational players. I bring this up because I believe the junket even further validates the stance he takes.

    So I'm posting this to get other FTR members' thoughts on the article, and the relationship souring between PokerStars vs. High Volume Players. It's devolved significantly over the past few months.

    All views are welcome. I look forward to your comments.

    -David
    Last edited by dhubermex; 03-23-2016 at 10:15 AM.
  2. #2
    Solid article, hard to argue. Overall this sucks for the players and pretty lame for them to do it coinciding with the launch in an effort to lessen bad press.

    They already back peddled on rake increases in the past but it's clear they just delayed them, they were just waiting for the right time.
  3. #3
    not to mention the CEO getting arrested for insider trading. Thats not going to help stars get into more US states.
  4. #4
    Having online poker's highest profile executive formally accused of criminal insider trading is the last thing the industry needed in early 2016. Not only are there numerous interests in play for a spot in the regulated statewide U.S. online poker market, but the charges also come at a time when Daily Fantasy Sports movers & shakers want to enter a penix-measuring contest about the amount of skill in DFS vs. Internet Poker (see comments made by FanDuel CFO Matt King).

    There's a great piece by Chris Grove that outlines how the formal charges may affect PokerStars' potential presence in the regulated U.S. market. I also wrote an article titled "David Baazov Brings Joey Ingram Out of Early Retirement" that provides an updated perspective on the Public Relations Hat Trick PokerStars is building on this week.

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