It all began earlier this month with a thread started on the 2+2 Poker Forum entitled “GGPoker rake massive increases—High Stakes community mass boycott,” which claimed that 90% of the highest volume players on GGPoker were in favor of ceasing play at the $25/$50 and higher tables. The reason: a drastic increase in rake in the highest stakes games on the site.
Without any warning on March 31, GGPoker approximately doubled the rake cap, according to Poker Industry PRO, on No-Limit Hold‘em “VIP Games” which led to a substantial increase in the price of playing at these tables.
pressure has ultimately forced GGPoker to back down
Finally, after two weeks of outrage and a successful protest by poker players, the pressure has ultimately forced GGPoker to back down and dropping the rake cap back down to near its previous levels.
On VegasSlotsOnline News earlier this month, David Lappin warned that GGPoker could reap “corn-cockle and weeds” over the rake cap debacle, which the community believes is the road to an unsustainable poker economy.
The high stakes poker community, however, will see the rollback of the rake cap increase at GGPoker as a significant victory, a reminder that collective action can push back against online poker operators who are perhaps, to quote Ignacy Krasicki as Mr. Lappin did, “bent on doubling the profits.”
