Patrik Selin tells what’s wrong with Poker

John Blaise
January 25, 2011
17 Comments

Patrik Selin BodogFor me the only time I’m seeing what’s wrong with the game of poker is when I’m losing on the damn river card, but I’m not a CEO of one of the leading online gaming companies in the industry, I can afford not to see the big picture. Patrik Selin can’t. What’s more is, he never could, he’s always seen things as they are and in an interview with Inside Poker Business January/February Issue 11, Selin tells straight up, what’s wrong with poker.

Alun Bowden captures Selin perfectly in this captivating interview on the state of the poker world as Selin sees it. If you like a guy who speaks his mind and doesn’t mince words, then you’ll like this interview and you’ll like Patrik Selin. Selin has not been amused with the listlessness in the poker industry. He believes that some firms have been getting it all wrong for while now. In the interview Selin is quoted saying,

“Poker is becoming seriously boring…There is not one poker company with something unique to sell. We are trying to build that uniqueness and I think everybody is going to follow us, even Full Tilt and PokerStars. It’s just a question of time before they realize we are right and they are wrong.”

You drop a quote like that, you should almost cross your arms in a B-Boy stance. But Selin didn’t stop there, and we should be glad that he didn’t.

It’s not often you have big-time executives willing to speak candidly and willing to speak their minds. This interview is a must read, check it out by clicking here.

I’ll leave you with another scintillating teaser from this exciting and informative interview about the state of poker today.

“We already know poker is not growing, it is in decline. A couple of the big companies are growing, but that is just taking market share off everyone else. If they had done their homework and thought what the customer wanted things might have been different. What’s shocking to me is poker companies are always taking the view of what is right for them and not what is right for the customer. If the customer is not excited it doesn’t matter what you do.” -Patrik Selin

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Tags: Article, Bodog Poker, Inside Poker Business, Patrik Selin
Views and opinions expressed are those of the Author and do not necessarily reflect those of CalvinAyre.com
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    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Calvin Ayre and harrydorcas, James Boyer. James Boyer said: Patrik Selin tells what’s wrong with Poker: For me the only time I’m seeing what’s wrong with the game of poker … http://bit.ly/fJ6ckU [...]

  • http://www.facebook.com/iharris Ian Harris

    But… what's Bodog doing that's so different?

  • http://CalvinAyre.com Calvin Ayre

    The article explains it, and I am not poker expert, but as explained in the article, its in rake back structure and in removing tools that let pros gain extra dominance over recreational players.

    This is just related to Poker…Patrik has a lot more on the go related to technology as he has discussed with me. Some of his plans are still confidential.

  • http://CalvinAyre.com Calvin Ayre

    I should clarify, Patrik is giving his opinion on poker because this is what this magazine wanted to ask him about…its a poker magazine…mostly he is setting up a very interesting technology development organization in Europe, the implications of which will not be apparent for a year or so.

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  • Guest

    So in other words, more companies should copy Ongame's Essence?

  • http://CalvinAyre.com Calvin Ayre

    I am guessing you work for Ongame as they are not mentioned in this…but yes, Ongame does do some of what Patrik is suggesting. They started adopting his philosopy shortly after he first presented it publicly in Sept 2009.

    Also, lets not forget Patrik Selin was the CEO of OnGame during is formative years, and sold them to Bwin for around 500 M Euros, so they do track his articles closely still it seems.

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    [...] easy prey to professional poker players. It was also part of what Bodog and Selin believed was wrong with poker today.There’s been warning signs on the radar for some time now that poker industry was in need of [...]

  • Kim

    “They started adopting his philosopy shortly after he first presented it publicly in Sept 2009. “

    I'll be the first to congratulate anybody for being the first to speak out publically on any important matter, but this statement is so ludicrous I doubt even Patrik backs it.

  • http://CalvinAyre.com Calvin Ayre

    Kim, first thanks for reading our site and joining in on discussions. Maybe you can help us by explaining why this is ludicrous? Patrik was CEO of OnGame during its formative years and so I am sure there was some of his DNA left over so not surprised to hear some of his philosopy was still there, , but I think its pretty clear that OnGame is not leading the poker industry out of the wilderness here. If I am wrong maybe you can post some links to you guys either talking about your philosophy or announcing anything you did that predates Patrik's work.

    We are a pro industry site, but we can not read minds. What do you do for OnGame anyway?

  • Jonas Ödman

    The truth is that Bodog Network's rake distribution model was presented long before Ongame's Essence. And although the two models address the same problem they are quite different. As I explained in September 2010 (http://calvinayre.com/2010/09/…/), our system is superior.

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    [...] industry is being forced to restructure in 2011 as has been predicted by Calvin Ayre himself and as Bodog Europe CEO Patrik Selin has been telling people would happen for a number of years. The model just does not work now that [...]

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