Online Poker Segregation Takes Center Stage With Revolution, PartyPoker Moves

Segregating online poker players based on skill goes a step too far, so claims Aaron Todd of CasinoCity.com.

While a number of players might concur, operators have told Gambling911.com this is all a “fight for survival” with “reckless management practices” the primary reason why Full Tilt Poker failed in its first life before PokerStars ultimately revived the company.

“I used to work at Full Tilt Poker,” an operator, who wished not to have his identity revealed, tells Gambling911.com.  “They were losing money left and right.”

Full Tilt Poker focused most heavily on high stakes players.

“The only people who make money with online poker are the affiliates,” this operator noted.  “It is the online casinos that are the most profitable for Internet gambling sites, followed by sports betting.”

Both the Revolution Gaming Network and PartyPoker instituted player segregation policies in recent days.

Revolution announced Friday it would be implementing “Fair Play” technology effective immediately.

The new feature groups players into three categories (recreational, normal and advanced) whereby each category of players represents roughly 33 percent of the active Network player liquidity. 

By filtering these tables, Fair Play attempts to prevent recreational players from going head-to-head with more advanced players.  In other words, it might not be in a relatively novice individual’s best interest to go up against the likes of a Michael Mizrachi or Annette Obestrad, two of Lock’s most coveted pros.  Customers can see the three player levels via the lobby.

The so-called “normal” player will be able to go up against either the recreational or advanced poker player.  

Prior to Friday’s announcement regarding the Fair Play technology, a Lock Poker representative advised Gambling911.com in an exclusive interview that these changes were necessary, and it has absolutely nothing to do with liquidity issues, as some have speculated.

"We segregated because we need to protect our recreational player base," the rep said.

A PartyPoker rep used a similar argument in implementing their own player integration policy over the past week.

"We are continually looking for ways to balance our poker room ecology. As we have said before, we are testing various features to make poker a more fun and entertaining game for both new and inexperienced players. Our extensive research shows that new and inexperienced players enjoy the game more and continue playing for longer if in the early stages they play with players of a similar ability, this includes, but is not limited to our welcome lounges. These players are free to play on any table they chose."

CasinoCity’s Aaron Todd was flabbergasted by Party’s decision at first before conceding there was degree of rationale behind this move.

The end result of these types of matchups is that no one can beat the rake and everyone slowly loses.

After further reflection, I understand what Party is trying to accomplish. When new players lose all of their money right out of the gate, they’re not going to have a positive experience. If they don't have a positive experience, they're not going to stick around.

Todd added:

Every player, regardless of skill, should be perfectly welcome to sit down at any table they wish. But providing players with the option to play at tables that don't allow multitabling would be good for the poker ecology.

The Revolution Gaming Network’s new policy is aimed to ensure that tables remains “soft”, thus encouraging more recreational players and, as such, improves the overall player experience, according to the company spokesperson. 

Shane Bridges, Lock Poker’s Player Representative, responded to concerns lodged at the TwoPlusTwo.com posting forums that “winning poker players” would immediately be placed into a more advanced group.

Everyone keeps taking the false assumption that as soon as you become a winning player you are out of the middle group and cant play against any fish. This just isnt true.

And then they also assume that all fish will remain in the bottom group cut off from the top group entirely, this just isnt true either.

The only way this system works is by having a middle grouping with the witdth to cover a wide spectrum of skill levels, which this system does.

While customers to have a choice – they could elect to play elsewhere – operators appear more inclined to move towards the segregation model in an effort to improve liquidity and become more profitable.

- Ace King, Gambling911.com