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Just when I thought I was ready to begin singing the ipoker network praise... It was discovered by my CheckRayz membership that ipoker has a new policy in place, seemingly in place since Sept 21st. This policy affects all ipoker rooms, Titan Poker, Kiwi Poker, USA Poker, and Noble Poker, among others. This policy allows for players (going forward) to have only 1 real money poker account per player. This means that anyone who downloaded any of the ipoker clients and registered a real money account through any of us at the SPN will not be permitted to open new accounts in the future at other poker rooms.
On a personal note, I think this policy sucks! For one, it restricts one's freedom of choice. What if, for example, someone downloads kiwi poker, has a bad experience with their top notch customer support desk, and wants to go to another ipoker client, such as Noble poker? They're stuck if they wish to play on this network. Additionally, the ability to bonus whore, compete in leaderboard events (such as mine) or move to newer poker rooms with a certain nitch market within the ipoker network are no longer an option. They might as well make 1 huge Ipoker room, and forget about the various brands at this point. Everyone wear uniforms, as you're all the same now... Garbage.
I have contacted ipoker and am awaiting a response. I suspect I will hear something about "blah blah blah, best interest of the customer, blah blah blah, protecting the brand, blah blah blah (insert blowing smoke up a$$ statement of choice here).
I can understand a policy similar to that of microgaming (sorry Norm), where they require everyone to have 1 screenname, yet allow the poker players access to all microgaming rooms. I'm known as the same player at 32 red as I am at River Belle Poker... but I am allowed access to both rooms. I cannot understand the logic behind restricting my freedom of choice...
More on the ipoker situation
In comments, Mitch writes:
Yeah, that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. At work we have several
websites that basically accomplish the same goal just aimed at different
markets
and have slightly different structures. However if someone signs up
at one site
we aren't going to restrict them from having another account at
one of our other
sites. The only thing we try to keep them from doing is
from having multiple
accounts at the same site.
That's almost like
saying to a Sam's Club member that you can only go
to the store you signed
up at and no where else ... Not the best example, but
all I can think of.
Mitch
To which, I respond:
I agree Mitch. A poker room joins the network so they can have other players that help to seemingly fill their tables and play in their tourneys (giving me "action" so to speak without too many growing pains).
Said poker room is independant of one another within the network, only coming in contact with one another's players. Theoretically, I am and should be free to choose which poker room/rooms I wish to access the network through.
The networking concept is similar to a co-operative, where a group of companys form a group to increase their buying power and the co-operative negotiates favorable rates for all their members within a network of vendors. Each member of the co-op may purchase as he/she sees fit (within the rules) from any approved vendor. Each vendor in turn, may market to each member of the co-op as they see fit (within the rules).
Now, if the group of companys formed one huge company, as opposed to a co-op, then we're really only dealing with one massive corporation, not a group of companies. So, which is ipoker, a co-op network of sorts or is it a big company?
Mike
More Comments from the Trenches...
I've still not directly heard back from any ipoker reps. It does seem that the Poker Pub reader's voices are speaking up though. The comments continue to pour in...
Joey from EatSleepPoker writes:
I have noticed Titan's email support to be a little sketchy but wow I was
not aware of this. This is horse shit! I agree with all your points above and if
they are going to do this, why don't they just make one big hoplah room and call
it good.
Regards,
Joey
I respond:
From my experiences, Titan's support is not really strong, though they did come through for me the one time I needed them (took them six tries, but they came through no less). They probably benefit the most from this because they have been the monsters in marketing of the ipoker rooms.
I suggest people begin writing the poker rooms they have an account with in protest of this. In fact, I'll work on organizing a list of contacts and their email addresses.
Mike
Little Bro writes:
What's really lame about the whole thing is the fact that they cannot link
back to the one real money account. Also, from their error messages it really
isn't clear why I can't play with real money. All it tells me is that I already
have a real account and the cashier is not available. It's bad design
really.
Steveman
I reply...
No one ever accused the playtech software of having a superior design and/or feel, though they've come quite a long way... I'm still waiting for the four color deck...
Again, I do agree this is lame.
Mike
More to come as it's received...
