The iPoker network released new network policy today. The statement confirms the year's earlier rumours of a divided network that will likely see a number of the smaller skins perish.

Full story on PokerUpdate - http://ipvip.co/5n3iq

how is this going to effect betmost? its owned by WH but is probably not attracting enough players/fish on its own

Interesting article but the line about ensuring iPoker becomes a softer network is laughable. The only thing this move will accomplish will be to move grinders/rake back players from the smaller rooms that will be excluded from the main network to rooms that are not excluded - especially the likes of William Hill and Titan where rake back up to 65% is still available. In short, its nothing more than a liquidity grab by those operators that mean most to the network. The one anamoly from amongst the five operators rumoured to make up the main network is Bet365 who most surely provide the majority of recreational players to the network yet have never in my experience gone down the route of offering high level rake back, unlike Titan, William Hill, Paddy Power and BetFred so; whilst the four aforementioned rooms are likely to increase their player pools through their rake back operations, Bet365 are likely to suffer as their players are now subjected to a higher concentration of grinders due to the loss of the recreational players from the excluded rooms.
Personally I think this is a really sneaky move by iPoker and the main operators simply put in force to increase business levels in a declining market. Ultimately it won't change the ecology of the network for the better but may, at Bet365's expense, actually make it worse.

Hi eule,

I'm unsure exactly how it will effect Betmost, but it's almost a certainty that they won't share the same player pool as William Hill and the other large sportsbook's.

Even though Betmost is currently a white-label of William Hill, it would ruin the credibility of the newly formed secondary network if they were able to gain access off the back of their relationship with William Hill.

Betmost will still always still be a viable option for anyone who wishes to play on the "other part" of the network.

Michael

Hi thedebased,

You definitely make a fair point. The newly formed network will be built on trust and transparency. It will be essential that all of the large sportsbook's adhere to the "no rakeback" policy which will be implemented and we are confident that iPoker will regulate this effectively. With only a few large operator's, iPoker's job will be made easier to uncover unauthorised deals and it will be necessary for them to fine any offender's heavily.

In regard to making the network softer, operator's on the new network will be required to significantly increase their poker marketing. Arguably this could be more difficult to enforce, however if all skins play by the rules then there is no reason why they won't be motivated to promote poker more enthusiastically - Especially with the imminent release of their own form of Speed Poker and other features.

Michael

So does this mean there with be a smaller player pool if playing on Will Hill from next month onwards?

ok thanks. any information if it will be possible to run 2 ipoker clients at the same time (obv accessing different parts of the network)?

Does this rule get implemented for both networks?

just saw that ipokervip also features boyle, any estimations on tthis skin? seems to be a fairly large bookie

Hi reddev,

No, the earliest that the split will happen will be around 1st September.

It's also likely that the newly formed network will have a larger player pool.

Michael

Hi eule,

I'm not sure at this point in time, but it's very possible that could be the case.

Michael

Hi 39suited,

Yes it will be strongly enforced on both sides of the network.

If any poker room is able to meet the outlined criteria, then they will be eligible to operate on the newly formed network. I'd imagine BoyleSports will be very close to meeting such criteria, but ofcourse it's still not completely apparent which rooms will make the cut.

I hope this helps.

Michael

Thanks for the response, could you please explain how it may be larger? the way it sounds to me is that now there is everyone on ipoker playing against each other and afte this split it will be half the skins players playing each other and the other smaller skins seperated playing each other?

Is this not correct?

Cheers

Of course it can't be a larger player pool.

Say you have 100,000 players. 80,000 on the bigger skins and 20,000 on various smaller skins. You enforce the 20,000 smaller skin players off the network in a liquidate market position grab and you are left with 80,000 players.

Would love to read the mathematical genius explain how removing players will increase the player pool.

iPoker is run by complete retards. If they want a succesful network they should focus on

1) fixing the lobbies and other bugs/glitches in the software

2) Introduce syncro breaks

3) stop doing new things like speed poker etc. I mean they cant get late reg to work properly (re lobbies fubar) so anyone seriously think that speed poker will work properly.

4) start putting customers first. Unlike the recent iPoPs M/E debacle that saw the tournament started then stopped then cancelled then restarted with a several hour delay as someone forgot to click the enable late reg button (not that anyone did late reg as by this time it was so late everyone had gone to bed). Just annoyed everyone that was already playing the tourney.

5) Actually look at their own companies. Playtech and William Hill online are the same company, yet one of the biggest floaters of the no rakeback rule is william hill.

6) stop allowing the bots on the network.

7) actually do something when blatant collusion/disconnect abuse etc is presented to you.

8) Charge less than 20% rake on Hyper Turbo's @$2 and below and less than 10% on the others.

iPoker is only just about 1 step above UB/AP and FTP it is a totally corrupt and money grabbing organisation.

This move is designed to benefit iPoker companies only at the expense of others. Certainly not for the players benefit.

considering you cant run a skin on the network atm and a skin on .fr or .it at the same time now then its is certainly not very possible but highly unlikely if not improbable.