Originally posted by VorpalF2F
Poker sites did things to make more money.
At one time doing things that were also fun, and also had a benefit to the players also made them money.
In this case, as Harrier88 points out, this is done to comply with regulations, and partly because there is a perception that it will stop bumhunting. However if there are only 4 tables for a game, then there can't be bumhunting.
While I strongly disagree with the regulations that force them, I can at least see that the four table limit and immediate self-exclusion button make sense for what they're trying to achieve.
Though I would still much prefer a simple confirmation window over this "one click is final" approach. Are many of those so-called "problem gamblers" really going to change their mind about self-exclusion because they have to click "Yes" once? Still, that was explicitly part of the regulations that Pokerstars had to comply with, according to their website.
As for that new waitlist policy, I can't say it makes sense. First of all, this very concept of "bumhunting" is dubious to begin with in that sense. A certain degree of table selection and looking for weaker opponents is just a basic part of positive expectation gambling, and some poker sites have twisted themselves in knots trying to come up with what counts as unfair "predatory" behavior and what doesn't.
But even if we all agree that even those mild forms of trying to take advantage of less skilled opponents are predatory and should be stopped, do those rules really do a good job of enforcing them? There is still nothing to prevent players from targeting someone on a table that is not already filled, and are waitlists really primarily used to claim your spot on a fishy table, to the point that we need to introduce little stumbling blocks like this? In mixed games in particular, this is lethal, as Vorpal alluded to, because there simply isn't always a table available for you, and you often have to wait your spot to be able to get into the game at all. Almost seems like trying to prevent punctures in your car by removing all the tires, you're severely restricting one important functionality trying to prevent one minor problem.
Note, however, that it was my own theory that this was introduced to combat bumhunting, and it's possible that they had something else in mind entirely. It's still the only explanation I can think of that makes any kind of sense to me. Well, actually it doesn't make sense, but I wouldn't know how they could possibly have justified it otherwise.
As for RedsYNWA's comment, we mostly just have to accept that the world of online poker has changed and will continue to change, and that the boom has been over for a while. 6-12 years ago or so, it may have been in the poker room's best interest to introduce all those benefits for the average grinder that make us yearn for the "good old days", but they must follow the money, which doesn't always lead them into a direction that makes sense from our point of view. The only thing we can do is to adapt in the best way we can.
run out the clock on every hand.
