Ladbrokes Decides to Nickel and Dime Customers

Well, make that “penny” customers, rather than “nickel and dime.”  In a business move that has not been posted on its website, e-mailed to players, or explained in its poker software, Ladbrokespoker.com has increased the rake at its cash game tables. 

As the rake at Microgaming network sites, of which Ladbrokes is a member, is taken a penny at a time, this will probably fly beneath the radar of most, especially those it will hit the hardest – the micro-stakes players.  Traditionally, all Micrograming rooms take a flat 5% rake from the pot, up to $3.00 (the max can be lower, depending on the number of players at the table).  This 5% is taken in increments of 1 cent.  Thus, every time 20 cents are put into the pot (and called; uncalled bets are not raked), the poker room removes 1 cent for the house.  This is extraordinarily standard.

Now, Ladbrokes is snatching away an additional 1 cent from the last 20 cents of every dollar.  Therefore, every dollar is now raked 6%.  Of course, if the pot does not reach that next dollar plateau, those 2 cents on the last 20 cents of the dollar will not be raked, which means that the first 99 cents of every dollar will be raked as before, but as soon as that dollar mark is hit, there goes an extra percent.  Fortunately, the maximum rake remains the same, but the rake schedule as essentially been accelerated.  Instead of a $60 pot being required to reach the maximum rake of $3, it will now only take a $50 for Ladbrokes to make its revenue cap for the hand.