Big debate: Could allegations of cheating in high-stakes poker circles impact operators’ recreational player base?

Yes

Jonas Ödman, Investor

You cannot underestimate the importance of trust in the online poker industry. Players need to feel that their deposits are safe and that the poker games offered are fair in every way.

There are numerous conspiracy theories about online poker games being rigged. One such theory is that poker sites create big pots (‘action pots’) on purpose by dealing two players very good hands, such as pocket aces versus pocket kings. Or a set versus a flush draw, where a common belief is that the player with a flush draw will win more often online than in a (fair) live game.

Most players shrug off these theories, but, when world-famous high rollers accuse each other of cheating, as recently seen, it is hard for players not to take it more seriously.

One of the things high rollers have accused each other of is ‘ghosting’, ie a sharp player taking over a weaker player’s account without the other players at the table knowing.

Ten years ago, when I was at Bodog Poker Network, we introduced anonymous tables to protect recreational players from ‘bum hunting’, ie being targeted by sharp players. Anonymous tables would also have prevented ‘ghosting’ since everyone is anonymous.

Let me finish with a casino analogy. At typical slot machines in a casino, you have gamblers playing against the house using machines produced by a casino equipment manufacturer. In an online poker room, you have recreational players (equivalent of gamblers) playing against long-term winning players (equivalent of the casino) using a poker platform provided by an online poker room (equivalent of a casino equipment manufacturer).

Stories about poker players cheating are just as bad as a casino cheating. A casino gambler would not go to a casino known for cheating its customers, and likewise a recreational poker player should stay away from a poker room where the winning players are known to be cheating.

No

Dmitry Starostenkov, CEO, EvenBet Gaming

The actions of a few bad apples won’t have any meaningful impact on online poker and how casual customers approach and enjoy the game. Recreational players and high-stakes grinders are two different audience groups, and newcomers actively work to avoid more experienced players because it is the fastest way to lose their stack.

The revelation of this cheating scandal does pose a threat to any operator’s reputation and shouldn’t be taken lightly. That said, doping and corruption scandals haven’t impacted the popularity of basketball, football, cycling or running, and certainly haven’t had an effect on the number of amateurs enjoying those.

Online poker is particularly good at defending against these kinds of cheating. In traditional, land-based poker, the customer doesn’t know anything about the player sitting across from them. However, on a poker website, the user has a wealth of information at their fingertips about their opponent, including the size of their stack and their level within the site, among other data. In addition, knowing that trusted operators take action for players who have suffered from cheating – for example, blocking the offending accounts and compensating players – further reassures users.

There are also ways to educate players and make them less susceptible to scammers. Many good online poker sites will offer events like freerolls tournaments, which don’t have a buy-in. This allows new players to explore and become comfortable with the environment. It also arms them with the knowledge of what to expect in an online poker room and how to spot and avoid tangling with poker sharks hunting for newbies. Players looking to take advantage of newbies then stick out like a sore thumb.

The recent scandal isn’t something we should just forget about or disregard but given the protections already in place and the love of poker in so many jurisdictions, it is unlikely to have an adverse effect on the game.