The house takes all the money.

[doodydota]

I rather play at pokerstars and pay the rake than play at WPX, because at WPX there are no fish. Fish don't care if the rake is 0%, 10% or 50%. They lose money anyway. Only winning players do care.

I pay the rake for smooth software, a timebank and the fishpond that pokerstars provides by advertising their site.
You can consider the rake as a fee for a service.

A 2+2 pokersite? "Come play where the sharks are going to eat you alive".