Poker Trust
April 18, 2006 - Trust in the poker industry finally becoming an issue with players
Since poker is seen as a game of skill played against other players and not the house, online poker room sites often get a free pass on the trust debate. But the issue that has plagued both the online casino and sportsbook market is becoming an issue in the poker industry albeit with a different slant.
The big winners with crooked linesmakers or casinos are the house themselves, so it is easy to understand why trust is a major factor in the industry. But why poker? Who wins in an untrustworthy online poker operation? The answer is not so clear cut, as in many cases the poker room is not acting out of self interest or malice. The bottom line, an untrustworthy poker room is often one that lacks the technological safeguards to protect their clients from player collusion or automated scripts (aka: bots) which play numerous hands and collect information. The Internet poker boom has seen a number of new online operations launched in the hunt for poker riches. But in the mass influx of service providers and players, quality control has often been overlooked. This is a major concern to players who are looking for a home to play.
Unlike sports or casinos, poker players tend to exhibit more loyalty towards their given service. This is a result of players becoming more comfortable with their service providers game interface, account management and customer support. Which illustrates the need for players to do their due diligence when selecting an online poker room. Poker Room Rating's editor Christopher Haugen says "The biggest problem we see is that players are never quite sure if they are being exploited, or if their chosen room has implemented safeguards, it is often only suspected. But players should not underestimate the number of operations which fail to adequatley monitor and enforce safe play policies. Which is one of the reasons we are very big on recommending players join poker rooms which focus on poker as their primary product. Too many of the smaller rooms or ancillary poker services are not afforded the same level of resources that one of the poker giants provide."
As a result, Poker Room Rating urges that players read thru their ratings and reviews section before making a poker room selection. Check out our (Ratings And Reviews] for an indepth description of our recommended poker rooms.
If you are currently playing at a poker room where you suspect you are being cheated, check out our Black List. And please make sure that you report any problems to Poker Room Rating, we may be able to inquire on your behalf. Use our Contact Us form to provide details.
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