promotions and integrity on PS

Is there a big risk of being/getting addicted to gambling with playing poker

  • I don't think so. You just have to be smart.

    Votes: 6 54.5%
  • Yes, I'm at risk

    Votes: 2 18.2%
  • Yes, I'm already addicted (problematic)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Yes, I know (some) people for whom it got problematic

    Votes: 3 27.3%

  • Total voters
    11
Moonchild

Moonchild

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I am a bit troubled by some promotions on pokerstars. For me it often looks like that they push people in more reckless gambling and therefore higher the chances that someone gets some gambling problems.

By all means, I love poker, pokerstars and their events. I'm a loyal watcher of f.ex. the EPT's. I love pokerschool and I have trust in their ways to keep the game safe when it comes to the software and cheating. But at the same time I see some contradictions in their integrity claims. On the one hand they offer pokerschool and if you start playing, it is indeed a good tool. They also support organisations that helps gambling addicts. But on the other hand lots of their promotions leads players in the games where luck is a way bigger factor than skill. F.ex. the beat the clock challenges, spin and go challenge and so on.

They give away free tickets for 'easy challenges' and make it look like you have a great chance to win a huge prices. One can say: it's the responsibility of the individual and if you're smart enough you would not fall in 'this trap', but is that really the way it works? Isn't even a very intelligent person easy to be trapped in a dangerous way of playing?

The guys working at PS should know that there is a large group of players that get in some kind of problems playing online, especially when PS keeps on shooting with so called great promotions. They should also know that 'free will' is very questionable and that intelligence doesn't mean it prevents you from problematic behaviour. And once you're in some graduation of a gambling addiction, it is hard to get out. I becomes a contextual and pathological disease easily.

I don't want to be a moral preacher here, but wouldn't it make their integrity claims more credible if they think about the risks in (the pushing of) their promotions and offer more support to problematic players. They should see when someone puts lots of money in poker with low ITMrates. Maybe they can offer those players more support and advice.

If you look at the numbers of addiction it is clear that gambling is a big problem. (you can look online at specialized sites for the numbers) With other addictions, we see a more hands on approach through the years. Luckily. There are more mandatory warnings on all kinds of addictive products, so why not on poker and especially with promotions that require more gamble then luck?

Again, I like to emphasize I don't want to be the moralist here. I'm just asking questions and make suggestions that IMO make poker a more safe en therefore more enjoyable game for everyone playing. I'm curious about your thoughts on this subject.
 
Last edited:
sandund

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I agree with you, it's more about fast money than anything else.
 
P

Prolaznik

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@Moonchild
They do know whatever you say they should know. They do want whatever you say they shouldn't want. Their job is to squeeze money from players.
It's so severe out of two reasons:
- Original Pokerstars had class. Rednecks from Amaya (the new owner) have no class.
- Since American players have been locked in ghetto - online poker is dying. They're desperate.
 
Zorba

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@Moonchild
They do know whatever you say they should know. They do want whatever you say they shouldn't want. Their job is to squeeze money from players.
It's so severe out of two reasons:
- Original Pokerstars had class. Rednecks from Amaya (the new owner) have no class.
- Since American players have been locked in ghetto - online poker is dying. They're desperate.

Online poker is not dying.....lol.....:)

:top:
 
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Prolaznik

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Online poker is not dying.....lol.....:)

:top:
Maybe your poker interest is narrow. And you're probably interested for some kind of poker activity that isn't heavily crippled yet. But if you manage to compare the situation now (in your favorite poker activity) to the situation 2-3 years ago, you might be surprised, even shocked.
There is less than 45K PLAYERS in the Pokerstars playroom now. Number of TABLES used to be (far) greater. But before trying to convince you, I'll let you open your eyes and think a bit...

How many kinds of (nice) tournaments you remember that don't exist anymore?
How many kinds you remember that still exist, but once a week, instead of several times a day?

I have many statements and questions besides these, but it should be enough to make you think...
 
CriesuaID

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The legend of fast money in Poker can be very problematic.
 
Moonchild

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The legend of fast money in Poker can be very problematic.
I agree. And IMO Pokerstars is going crazy with their promotions now. There are so many promo things I can not even keep up with it. It makes me feel rather concerned. When I started at PS a year or 5 ago, I had the feeling they had a good integrity policy and yes, once in while there was a promotion, but this year they seem to bomb us with them. The most I am concerned for beginners or vulnerable people, 'cause PS make it look like there is a big chance to win or earn big prices. And in a way they push to play more and different games, especially games where skill is less involved, like time bomb or spin and go's.

Sometimes it even makes me feel a bit sick. I work in social/psychiatric health care, so maybe that's why I have vulnerable people more in mind.
 
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bigjay2007

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I'd have to agree. I personally hope i can distinguish between promos that are what they say they are vs the cash grab for fast money. However, I will say that PS has to keep it's current numbers up, given there is a lot of competition out there. Online poker is a cut throat business and you have to protect your business.
 
lovemiscou

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I agree with you 100% moonchild, I played the time bomb tourny after seeing the promo, taught it was easy money, played 1 game and ended up beating the clock but didn't have many chips left, so all i got for this was 61 cents, but it cost me 1 dollar to play, so i haven't played the time bomb since.
 
Moonchild

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:D Now we can ask ourselves: could we do something as customers? Let our voices be heard? More often I think: couldn't we people, using all the social media, online games, forums and do on ... letting our opinions and concerns known .. :rolleyes:

"They" might listen to it, think about it and ... who knows. Or not. But as I said: the older I get, I see a big group of people getting lost online, in so many ways. And one problem is online gambling/poker ... It took such a long time to give poker a more positive view. More clean, more skill, more like a brain sport ... I'm a bit afraid the group of problematic online players will stay growing. And it's not the fault of sites like PS, but they could be more integer ... not bombing with promo's, flickering video effects with exciting sound effects ... more often it reminds me at those bingo games ... all the lights, sounds, spins .... It's like "they" want to get poker lovers to gamble more. A dangerous evolution, I think, 'cause sadly, free will is a very questionable thing.
 
Bee

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I am a bit troubled by some promotions on Pokerstars. For me it often looks like that they push people in more reckless gambling and therefore higher the chances that someone gets some gambling problems.

By all means, I love poker, pokerstars and their events. I'm a loyal watcher of f.ex. the EPT's. I love pokerschool and I have trust in their ways to keep the game safe when it comes to the software and cheating. But at the same time I see some contradictions in their integrity claims. On the one hand they offer pokerschool and if you start playing, it is indeed a good tool. They also support organisations that helps gambling addicts. But on the other hand lots of their promotions leads players in the games where luck is a way bigger factor than skill. F.ex. the beat the clock challenges, spin and go challenge and so on.

They give away free tickets for 'easy challenges' and make it look like you have a great chance to win a huge prices. One can say: it's the responsibility of the individual and if you're smart enough you would not fall in 'this trap', but is that really the way it works? Isn't even a very intelligent person easy to be trapped in a dangerous way of playing?

The guys working at PS should know that there is a large group of players that get in some kind of problems playing online, especially when PS keeps on shooting with so called great promotions. They should also know that 'free will' is very questionable and that intelligence doesn't mean it prevents you from problematic behaviour. And once you're in some graduation of a gambling addiction, it is hard to get out. I becomes a contextual and pathological disease easily.

I don't want to be a moral preacher here, but wouldn't it make their integrity claims more credible if they think about the risks in (the pushing of) their promotions and offer more support to problematic players. They should see when someone puts lots of money in poker with low ITMrates. Maybe they can offer those players more support and advice.

If you look at the numbers of addiction it is clear that gambling is a big problem. (you can look online at specialized sites for the numbers) With other addictions, we see a more hands on approach through the years. Luckily. There are more mandatory warnings on all kinds of addictive products, so why not on poker and especially with promotions that require more gamble then luck?

Again, I like to emphasize I don't want to be the moralist here. I'm just asking questions and make suggestions that IMO make poker a more safe en therefore more enjoyable game for everyone playing. I'm curious about your thoughts on this subject.


I do not play this promos....insult my intelligence...
 
Alex Sentsov

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This is the work of the staff PS. They push players to invest in the pursuit of some sort of mythical bonuses. The output is a complete failure. Money the player has no. the bonuses are ridiculous.
 
Odysseus101

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As you wrote Moonchild, free will is a dangerous subject. Elsewhere in the forum there's a "fight for poker rights" thread which we've all seen. But you're saying the opposite?

I believe that gambling can be an addiction and addiction can be a disease. I've worked with families torn apart by gambling yet I still play myself. Am I supporting an immoral industry?

Without attempting to answer that question, I'll make one observation: bringing the question of morality into the same sphere as "medical addiction" really muddies the waters.
 
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... i think addictive personalities can get addicted to anything , .. i don't think free will is all that questionable , adults are responsible for their own actions and choices , no one is forced to participate in any game , bonus or promo if they don't wish to , people make choices everyday in life , it's up to them to make good ones , it''s also up to them to read the fine print
 
Alex Sentsov

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PS is becoming greedier and greedier. freerolls - less and less. I think it's a road to nowhere. PS will soon no longer be the No. 1 in online poker.
 
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