I started playing Online Poker (Ongame Network) 2004-2005 and exclusively cash games NL 6-7 tables. If I played any tourneys usually was due to promo with free tickets. I was receiving 55-60% rakeback during 2005-2010, and I started with $50 bankroll to playing $500-1000 NL.

Back then I never had to think about leaderboards and races, played whenever I wanted. Back then I wasn't experiencing bad beats at the volume I've been experiencing since my return in 2017, which made me wonder if some networks did became more advanced with the tech to protect weaker players.

Last year I pretty much had one option for a network with decent traffic and rakeback over 50%. This year at least my conclusion is that Online Poker (cash games) are a rake trap for players to grind for the house and its affiliates.

Playing $5-25 NL with 20-30% rakeback can net you on average $500 a month, that is if you are playing high volume and solid poker, but that's not an option for most since the cost of living has gone up, especially in developed countries.

Waiting for once or twice in the week for tournaments only is not a stable way for income, unless you are ready to join in bigger buy in tournaments

Most who're playing today have to gamble with a lot more $ at higher stakes (cash games) to win much less. If you are living in a developed country where the average salaries are $2000-3000 I would not recommend you to play online poker.

The stress and unhealthy lifestyle also adds up. More volume means you'll see more suck outs, and if you are someone who does need the $ badly, the more you lose vs bad players who suck out and overall the more bad beats you encounter, the quicker you are to give up on trusting that network. I've been a victim in the past with the Lock Poker fiasco, where I could never cash out thousands of $, and since then I don't feel safe keeping more than $1500-2,000 on any network. Participating in high stakes tournaments with $250-500+ buy in would not be an option for me.

Some things must change within this industry today, because none are helping and working toward bringing more players to online poker, which by the way will start at the lowest limits. It's the hardest at the lowest limits because the rake is highest and most do need a primary job to cover basic costs, while competing with players who live in regions through the world where the monthly average salary is $300-500

Ignition (Bovada)
Winning Poker Network
Party Poker
GG Network
Pokerstars

They are all bad for NL low stakes cash games, bad for anyone who lives in a developed country. You'll be expected to gamble a lot more to win a lot less from 10-15 years ago. You'll be required to play much longer thanks to leaderboards/races, and those hot tables, splash pots call it whatever promote further more gambling and all ins.

Their tech is also far more advanced compared to 15 years ago, and I say this because I know variance, but the bad beats are the main reason that impact my earnings in the long run, and if you can't earn a set of amount of $ in the month, you'll either have to gamble with more $ or quit poker to get a job, there's no other option.

Anyone who plans to start a family the main thing you want is to have a stable income, where you know what you'll be earning for your time spent for the next month.

Sad to say mtts are still alive, all you gonna do is to bink one or two bigger tourneys to offset your previous losses. If you grind 50-60mtts or satellites per day, you'll get what i mean. Its basically a long hours work, bad for your kidney health

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Math doesn't change.

Most players are not near enough balanced and many are zombies (sort of brain-dead). The only problems can be at PLO when it comes to the playing possibilities and the rake.