Microgaming Poker Network to Introduce Rake Changes

The Head of Poker at Microgaming, Alex Scott, has revealed that the Microgaming Poker Network (MPN) intends making some important changes to its cash game rake structure that is due to come into effect some time in late October.

The new significant changes will initially only affect Euro-currency cash games with rake being increased at some stakes but dropped for the very smallest stakes, both in proportion to the pot as well as maximum rake per hand. He number of players will also be taken into account at all stakes in the new system, which previously only occurred in the case of the highest stakes.

The higher the stakes being played, the lower the percentage is taken by the house, which is an industry-wide standard and occurs both online and offline, and in cash games as well as tournaments.

There are a couple of reasons why this is the natural way to do things.

The houses overhead, whether for the operation of servers or providing a dealer and a table in a physical environment is basically the same, regardless of the stakes.

Higher stakes games seem to attract tougher competition and decreases the better players’ attainable edge – raking a high-stakes game at the same rate as a low-stakes game would therefore make it impossible for anyone to profit and kill the game very quickly.

The new MPN changes will not deviate from the basic structure but will reduce the difference. The rake will be slightly reduced at the smallest stakes and raising it very slightly at some higher stakes.
..