Here is a transcript of my chat with party support earlier today.
TL;DR: According to this representative, there is nothing wrong with purposely sitting out at a player's tables waiting for a fish to join. But then he says that is only his opinion, and then he refuses to tell me Party Poker's actual stance on the issue.
Party_Rep, maybe you can tell me what Party Poker's policy is?
PARTYPOOP: would like to report donkeylinezzz
PARTYPOOP: he sits out on people's tables waiting for a fish to join
PARTYPOOP: tables edinburgh and cheju currently
Slav: One moment, please
(5+ minutes pass by)
PARTYPOOP: he is sitting in on edinburgh now because a fish joined
PARTYPOOP: but he is still sitting out on cheju you will notice
PARTYPOOP: he knows there are no consequences
PARTYPOOP:
Slav: I can't see him sitting out on the tables you just said
PARTYPOOP: well cheju just closed because of him sitting out
PARTYPOOP: i had the table open and saw it
PARTYPOOP: and like i stated he sat in on edinburgh once a fish sat down
Slav: Well if he sat in when somebody joined your table it doesn't mean that he blocks your table from players sitting on it
PARTYPOOP: he was at the table and just sitting out
Slav: Is it a heads-up table?
PARTYPOOP: no
PARTYPOOP: it is a 6max
PARTYPOOP: another pro was sitting in
PARTYPOOP: and donkeylinezzz was just sitting out
Slav: What exactly are you reporting him for?
PARTYPOOP: do you understand what this would lead to you if you condone this activity?
PARTYPOOP: everyone would just sit at a table and sit out
PARTYPOOP: are you saying i am allowed to do this?
PARTYPOOP: right now donkeylinezzz has an advantage of getting in good games
PARTYPOOP: because he just sits out at tables and waits for them to start
PARTYPOOP: it's in my best interest to do that too
PARTYPOOP: but i try to be fair
PARTYPOOP: most players try to be fair
PARTYPOOP: do you understand?
Slav: Thank you for bring this up
Slav: We will look into it
PARTYPOOP: do you understand?
Slav: To be honest with you I don't
Slav: As long as he doesn't block other people from sitting in your table
Slav: He might not be a heads-up player, not everybody is
PARTYPOOP: i was not at this table
PARTYPOOP: it is hard to join in a game
PARTYPOOP: there are so many players waiting for a bad player to play and join in right away
PARTYPOOP: especially when some of them have their seating scripts
PARTYPOOP: so by sitting at a table and sitting out donkeylinezzz has an advantage of easily getting into the game when it starts
PARTYPOOP: it would be in everyone's best interests to do what donkeylinezzz did
PARTYPOOP: but if everyone starts doing that, imagine what would happen
PARTYPOOP: it would be 5 players sitting out on every table
PARTYPOOP: maybe even 6 players sitting out
PARTYPOOP: it ruins the games
PARTYPOOP: that's why no one does it
Slav: This will be considered as an abuse
PARTYPOOP: what will be considered as an abuse?
Slav: But if there is a heads-up game on a 6-max table and a player is sitting out, this is probably why he doesn't want to play heads-up?
Slav: 5 players sitting out in a 6-max table
PARTYPOOP: yes but when 1 guy can sit out why can't a 3rd guy sit out also then?
PARTYPOOP: maybe the 3rd guy only likes to play 4 handed or more he might say
PARTYPOOP: it's a very slippery slope you are creating here...
PARTYPOOP: and it won't be good
Slav: what you are trying to imply is
PARTYPOOP: it needs to be punished
Slav: that we have to remove the sitout option
Slav: what if he went to the toilets?
Slav: should we punish him for being a human?
PARTYPOOP: you need to punish people who purposely sit at tables and just sit out
PARTYPOOP: that is abusing it
Slav: I understand your point
PARTYPOOP: i am not saying to get rid of the sitout option in general
PARTYPOOP: just to punish people who sit at tables just to sitout on them
PARTYPOOP: you dont think everyone wants to play in games that arent headsup vs another pro?
Slav: Everyone does
Simple table select
PARTYPOOP: why cant donkeylinezzz just join in the game once it starts like the rest of the players?
PARTYPOOP: do you understand?
Slav: I do, PARTYPOOP. But like I said... If he doesn't want to play you heads-up when he joins a 6-max table, I don't see how this is an abuse
Slav: Maybe he's just not a HU player, that's all
Slav: Not everyone likes the HU action
PARTYPOOP: then why sit at the table?!
Slav: To expect other players to join in and start a game
Slav: If you're trying to be fair I believe you need to try to also be tolerant
PARTYPOOP: so imagine if everyone started to do that
Slav: We keep a constant eye on our tables and this is not going to happen
PARTYPOOP: everyone wants to join in and start a game when there's a bad player there
PARTYPOOP: I am going to post this conversation on the forums and see what other players think about this'
PARTYPOOP: because you are 100 wrong
PARTYPOOP: 100%
PARTYPOOP: and i hope your view isnt the policy of the whole site
Slav:
My view is my view
Slav: There's nothing to do with the site
PARTYPOOP: you represent the site, do you not?
Slav: I do
PARTYPOOP: so...
Slav: But you asked for my opinion, so I gave it to you
Slav: And told you that from the site perspective
Slav: We're going to look into it
Slav: And see if there's actually something wrong about it
PARTYPOOP: i dont care about your opinion, no offense
PARTYPOOP: i want to know the site's opinion
Slav: Why ask for it in the first place?
PARTYPOOP: i want to know that the site doesn't allow it
Slav: We allow people to sitout, we don't allow people to abuse
PARTYPOOP: because if the site allows this behavior...
PARTYPOOP: i am telling you that sitting out at tables waiting for players is abuse
PARTYPOOP: can you tell me party's stance on this
Slav: Like I said, from the site perspective we are going to look into it and our security team will take the appropriate measures if any are needed
Slav: But once asking for one's opinion and it doesn't go along with yours, it's neither fair nor tolerant to act arrogantly upon it
Slav: No offence
PARTYPOOP: i didn't want your opinion
PARTYPOOP: what I WANT is party's stance on this issue
PARTYPOOP: can you give me that?
Slav: I didn't find any issues in the first place
PARTYPOOP: do you guys not have an official stance on this issue?
Slav: You told me there is something that I couldn't find
Slav: If you encounter it again please let us know so we can look into it
PARTYPOOP: the issue of sitting out at tables purposefully regardless of number of players
Slav: We will assist you, just need proofs of it
PARTYPOOP: i would like to know the stance on that
PARTYPOOP: not yours
PARTYPOOP: party's
Slav: Sure. We first need to make sure there is any
Slav: I couldn't find it from the information you gave me, so I'm not really sure I can give you any solid answer about it
PARTYPOOP: IF the situation arose
Slav: In case you encounter it again just let us know
Slav: We will help you
PARTYPOOP: what is party's stance?
Slav: If it does, please let us know
Slav: We will look into it
PARTYPOOP: you are not helping me
Slav: I will, once you give me solid information about the issue happening
PARTYPOOP: i am giving you a hypothetical issue now
PARTYPOOP: and you are not telling me party's stance
PARTYPOOP: i would like to know
Slav: I cannot tell you the company's opinion on a hypothetically happening issue
PARTYPOOP: you do not have rules?
PARTYPOOP: you do not have set rules?
Slav: You accepted them upon your account creation, you should be well aware of them
PARTYPOOP: as should you
Slav: In case you have real information about the issue occuring
PARTYPOOP: I have a question
Slav: Please let us know, we will take the appropriate measures
TL;DR: According to this representative, there is nothing wrong with purposely sitting out at a player's tables waiting for a fish to join. But then he says that is only his opinion, and then he refuses to tell me Party Poker's actual stance on the issue.