Home

Hypocrisy

By launchpoker, Nov 16, 2007
Hypocrisy


  Anybody who has ever heard John Kerry make his position about military spending crystal clear with the words "I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it", knows that people are not always honest. Hypocrisy is a way of life for some people. Although we haven't yet heard Rosie O'Donnell talking about how much of an effect a low carb diet and rigorous exercise have had on her life, Harrah's considering throwing their hat into the online poker ring is nearly as bad.



  One of the stories around last year's World Series of Poker was the fact that Harrah's had basically banned online qualifiers from playing in the tournament. Despite the fact that there were numerous loopholes in the WSOP edict and the whole thing was taken about as seriously as Debra LeFave took statutory rape laws, the public face of the world's biggest poker tournament was set clearly against online poker. Now they are looking to profit from an industry they made a conscious effort to exclude from their event.



  This isn't exactly cutting off your nose to spite your face, this is more like duct taping a redundant face to the back of your head, and letting it do the heavy lifting when your words and actions don't quite mesh.



  One of the reasons given for the restriction on internet qualifiers was to comply with American law, and avoid the appearance of wrong doing. So now they are taking their ball and going to Europe, and presumably setting up their cyber shops there.



  This is simply a case of do as we say, not as we do. The ban on internet qualifiers extended across the pond, and if they truly wanted to avoid the appearance of impropriety, they wouldn't be considering having an online gaming presence at all.



  Hopefully they will realize the contradictory error of their ways, and eliminate the ineffective Maginot Line they have placed in front of online players. Considering how important these cyber players are to the industry Harrah's should embrace them instead of making them come in the back door.