GG Poker's High Rake: Is the Online Poker Dream Dead?

In mid-February, Fedor Holz announced that GG Poker is planning to combat services that collect hands on their platform. This news has sparked controversy among online poker players, with many expressing concern about the future of the game.

Patrick Howard, a high-stakes poker trainer and expert, has been vocal about the issues surrounding GG Poker's high rake structure. According to Howard, win rates are what GG Poker does not want players to see. He stated that the rake on GG Poker is almost 8 BB per 100 hands, which is four times higher than in other rooms. This high rake significantly impacts the win rates of regular players.

Howard explained that the average win rate for regulars in most rooms is around 1 BB per 100 hands. However, on GG Poker, the win rates for regulars are deeply negative, around -3.5 BB per 100 hands. This makes it extremely difficult for players to maintain a profitable career in online poker. Howard also noted that GG Poker's high rake is necessary to cover their advertising and promotional expenses, which has led to a significant increase in traffic but at the cost of player profitability.