ESPN: Clean up online poker now
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ESPN.com ran an article this weekend that focused largely on Josh Field as a window into the integrity and overall health of online poker. Field, better known to many as JJProdigy, is a controversial figure in the online poker world due to his well-documented history of cheating in online poker tournaments. His recent live poker debut at the Aussie Millions, and his ensuing public comments on his past behavior, generated immense amounts of discussion from both online and live pros regarding the ethical shape of poker.
ESPN columnist Gary Wise had a less than encouraging assessment to offer, and put the blame for online poker’s current sorry state of affairs squarely on the shoulders of industry leaders. Excerpt:
Poker remains to this day a world divided: WSOP and WPT, Bluff and CardPlayer, PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, the biggest islands in the lawless industry ocean. If these entities stopped focusing on beating the other guy for just a minute of each day, it would mean so much to the long-term health of the game.
A regulatory body supported by, funded by, but not answering to industry biggies could codify the rules of the game and the punishments for breaking them. It could blanket the players in a measure of security. The relationship between regulatory body and poker room would benefit the latter in being recognized by the former. Is there any way to ensure rogues don’t try to get their piece of the pie? No, but at least the prospective player would know the risks they’d take by taking a seat with an unrecognized entity. Any company donating either time or money toward this endeavor would gain the benefits of being recognized as an industry pillar that wants to better things for all of us.
