PokerStars Faces Backlash After Outrageous Rake Increases

PokerStars’ French operation, PokerStars.fr, has been experiencing increased hostility from discontented customers in the wake of the online poker site’s decision to raise their rake to what is perceived as an outrageous level.
At the heart of the dispute is the French Parliament’s decision last month, to require online gaming companies to buy a license to operate within France, which lead to the establishment of PokerStars.fr.
However, because of the extra expenses associated with the French permit and taxes, PokerStars.fr were persuaded by the French government to increase the rake they charged to customers in order to help make up the shortfall in their revenue. That decision, it would appear, has now come back to haunt them.
In a sign of their general discontent, many members of the French online poker community have started boycotting PokerStars.fr, while many others have been using other means to get their message across. In a first of its kind, players have been staging protests on the site, and sitting-out on up to 20 tables at a time without even playing a hand, thus depriving PokerStars.fr of any revenue.
The French online gaming community’s protestations seem to be getting through loud and clear as PokerStars founder Isai Scheinberg has already started insisting that PokerStars.fr had not even been making a profit, but nonetheless vowing to come up with some short-term solutions to the problems they now faced.
Scheinberg has also signalled his intention to discuss the matter with ARJEL, France’s gaming regulatory board in order to bring down the overall costs of their French operation. It will be interesting to see if and just how quickly the French government may be prepared to move on the matter, as the voices of discontent continue to make their feelings known within the country.