Not sure if this is the right sub-forum (mods feel free to move thread).

As everyone knows, the PokerBros app saw a boom ever since the pandemic. I was offered more times than I could count by my peers to join, even given a juicy rakeback. But it was never my thing. Finally, a friend set me up with an "agent" account and a very juicy rakeback on my players. I figured what the hey, it'll be passive income, even if small.

A couple of months ago, I extended some credit to what turned out to be the biggest degen ever. I did so because he's actually well known in the poker community and I didn't feel like he would stiff me. We had known each other for over a decade from local card rooms and casinos. Long story short, he hasn't made the effort to send one cent towards the debt. He said many times he would but never kept his word.

What is my best recourse at this point? Talk to mutual friends about it? Wreck his reputation? Obv I do not wish to do anything illegal.

Thx

This is very common on these illegal apps. It’s the risk you took when get involved with this. Should have cut him off before the debt got too big.

Agreed. What's my course of action now though?

Since they are illegal there is nothing you can do legally to collect the money.

Here is what I would do:

1. Cut him off immediately on the app.
2. Tell him that he needs to work out a repayment schedule because you are on the hook for his loss and have to pay your other players. Give him until "x" date to make the first payment and if he doesn't you are going to let the local poker community know he stiffed you.
3. If he still doesn't pay you are pretty much screwed. There are a lot of degens that get in over their heads and can't pay. I'm in Houston and know a bunch of people that are in debt over their heads because they are bad gamblers. The downside of the sport we love. If he doesn't pay you must let everyone and anyone know in the local community not to lend him money or give him credit or they run the risk of getting screwed.

Is the guy above you pushing you to pay? Maybe you can talk to him and get some of the debt eliminated so you aren't having to eat all of it.

Great advice. I was told the same thing by many people. The guy above me knows I am a stand up guy and I've already covered part of the balance out of pocket. If nothing works with the degen I will try to have the guys above me absorb some of the loss. Not sure what the reasonable amount is.

That's not really fair - it was your decision to extend credit to the degen (and you probably had some $ incentive to do so).

Agreed, the reasonable amount is zero. It’s your little business where you assume the risk and reap the rewards of your business model.

I’m an agent for another site and wouldn’t extend credit to my mother. Hard to get people but I’ll never get freerolled

You need to put on some black air force ones and go get the money owed to you.