[MNpoker]

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I've never played poker in a B&M casino but I imagine that if I brought in a notebook and started taking player notes I might get escorted from the building. Yet poker sites all have player note capabilities. These sites must be unethical!

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You absolutely would NOT be kicked out of a casino for this. Many players bring in notepads and make notes on what other players did (and their tendencies, etc.)

PT absolutely does a GREAT job of note taking and organizing. But it does not collect any data that you would not have access to in a B&M. (I will give you that you might get kicked out of a B&M for asking to see every players cards every hand)

Data-mining is completely different. I'll even agree that there is a grey area here. I happen to think it stops at Data-mining (you should not get HH's for hands you didn't play) and others will put that line somewhere else.

A on-line casino can have 'local' rules, just like a B&M can. If there is demand for a site that does not produce any HH's or show other players hole cards, I would guess one will eventually pop up. Personally I still feel there is a lower chance of getting cheated on-line vs. in a B&M (maybe I'm naive).