GGPoker makes all games above $10/$20 NL "private"

[Dan Druff]

In a move which is echoing the way upper limit games in Vegas are increasingly run, you can no longer just sit at a table above $10/$20 at GGPoker.

Games listed as "Exclusive" on GGPoker -- which include everything in the upper limits -- will require a "host" to invite you to the game. This basically puts the fish in control, as they will be dictating to the host (in most cases) who they do and don't want in the game.

This model controversially started in Vegas at Aria, under then-manager Sean McCormack, who now is in charge of all poker at MGM properties. This was done by Aria to prevent the fish from moving entire out of the casino environment, as many complained of bumhunting (pros who would only sit to play with weaker players, and then leave once those players are gone). In addition, some fish found certain pros to be unpleasant, either due to an unfriendly demeanor or ones who would put on headphones and ignore everyone.

Nevada requires all poker games to be "public" (available to all to sit and view), but the casino can engage in various tricks and loopholes to essentially keep the games private.

On GGPoker, there are no such regulations, and they decided that they're simply done with the bumhunting, and want to keep their fish happy. On GGPoker, it is even more important to keep the fish happy, as those are the people depositing, and deposits account for almost 100% of the profits. (This differs from live poker, where money people carry into the venue doesn't matter, and all that they make is the rake dropped. Online, profit is deposits minus withdrawals and site expenses.) So basically, if the whales stop depositing to GG, they lose out on a lot of liquidity.

Anyway, as you might guess, the online grinders are very upset about this. There have been some allegations that the "hosts" are favoring GG pros and other friends of the site, and the average player is shut the fuck out. That's a potential problem.

GGPoker also has various gimmick tables, such as being required to play a 30% VPIP (voluntarily placed money in pot) rate or be banned from the table for an hour, as well as a "Squid Game" where anyone who doesn't win a pot has to pay a tax (thus forcing action).

GGPoker claims they will add the open high stakes tables back if there's enough demand for it.

I have mixed feelings on all of this.

[Dan Druff]

So what are my mixed feelings?

Many poker pros have an entitled attitude, that poker rooms and online sites owe them a living. They don't. While in a perfect world, all games would be open to the general public and welcoming to bumhunting pros looking to attack the fish, the fact is that in modern times, the fish have grown to loathe that situation.

At this point, the sites and poker rooms have two choices: They can change things and allow the fish to have more of a choice who gets to play, or they can lose the fish's business to home games or Poker Bros type apps. GGPoker has chosen the former option. While it sucks big time for those who get shut out, they do need to look at it from the site operator's standpoint.

However, I also understand it from the poker pros' point of view, and in fact I'm one of them (though I don't play on GGPoker). It must be beyond frustrating to see certain pros selected to be part of juicy games, while you find yourself on the outside looking in. It must further be frustrating when this occurs at the whim of a "host", who may be playing favorites beyond what the fish actually cares about.

Additionally, many jurisdictions in the US and Europe forbid this sort of thing in their own regulated rooms, so that makes the entire thing extra offensive.

So what's the solution?

I think there should be some sort of middle ground. Perhaps there can be a game where the host fills half of the available seats with preferred players (and those seats can never be filled by the general public), and the rest are open. This can at least create a dynamic where the fish feels he has some control over playing with a table full of bumhunters, but at the same time, players aren't completely shut out.

It's a tough situation, and more nuanced than it can appear to be on the surface.

If you were the owner of GGPoker, and the high stakes whales were threatening to take their money to Poker Bros, what would you do?