Using a VPN to play online poker in America could have a detrimental effect on the future of online poker in that part of the world, in particular the re-entry of PokerStars.
Is it a secret?
Is it one of those badly kept secrets?
Or is it just part of the iGaming landscape?
I am talking about using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to play online poker from America whilst your computer tells the online poker room that you are physically located in a regulated country.
It was one of the illegal options available to American players who didn’t want to uproot their lives and emigrate to Canada, UK, Costa Rica, Malta, Mexico or some other online poker hotbed, and PokerStars have upped the ante when it comes to clamping down on those who are running the gauntlet.
Once upon a time the Department of Justice (DOJ) were monitoring the PokerStars back end to ensure they were doing everything in their power to prevent players from joining their real money action whilst rooted in American soil.
Those eyes have since been averted, but this hasn’t stopped PokerStars continuing to monitor the situation and dealing with perpetrators with a swift backhand to the face. Well that backhand has recently turned into an headbutt to the nose.
It’s no coincidence that PokerStars released a video, last week, that showed a department-by-department lowdown on the security measures, and values, instilled into PokerStars Towers, and neither is this latest reminder to the VPN vandals that an online death is just around the corner.
PokerStars want to make an impression.
Not only do they have the ‘bad actor’ clause attached to their skin like a dirty scab, but they are now a part of a public traded company at a time they are looking to enter the American iGaming space.
It’s squeaky-clean time.
According to PokerStars representative, Michael Josem, the default punishment for players caught using a VPN was to confiscate net winnings (except in cases where they believed the case was malicious and the whole balance would have been taken), but that has since been changed to a rule whereby the entire balance is confiscated (unless they are convinced the case is non-malicious, in which case they will only confiscate net winnings). Josem also made it very clear to Pokerfuse that the decision to change these rules was totally unrelated to the acquisition by Amaya Gaming.
Ironically, players who have been banned from playing, and therefore turn to a VPN as a way in, may be shooting themselves in the foot if a PokerStars return is what they are dreaming of.
