[RakeTheRake]

Yes correct...

Before people start throwing toys out of their pram, the following is not directed at iPoker specifically but has been seen in almost all networks...Party, Boss, OnGame, iPoker, Prima, Crypto at some point...

The difficulty and problems often occur when a network owns a big skin of its own....

Gieffe said that really the network doesn’t lose out as the battle is between the skins, but in the case where the network owns a big skin they do as they are losing margin on their own skin. (iPoker has Titan, Party had Party, Crypto- Inter, etc.)

The trouble usually starts when a network does impose a policy (that it has probably sought from existing affiliates) on rakeback from day 1 across all skins regarding rakeback – whether to allow it (capped) or not allow it
Of course this results in skins undercutting each other through rakeback affiliates and in some cases, the network’s affiliate managers for its own skin are also offering rakeback as affiliates, of course being able to offer the highest rates possible since they have no real network fees to pay.

Without a clear policy it becomes a “one rule for some, one for another” network

PokerAddict believes that most iPoker skins would permit rakeback if put to a vote and we believe this to be true. What is really needed is a strict cap in place. We have already seen the iPoker is prepared to play hard ball with Maestro, so if strict rules were in place then skins would be very unlikely to break the rules, given it would mean expulsion.

As discussed earlier in the thread, poker skins should not be held responsible for its affiliates as it is difficult to prevent a rival skin setting up a dummy rakeback site and advertising a competitor with rakeback. Yes the honest skin can end the bogus affiliate account but they cannot force the banner or text to be removed from the rogue’s website. Now we are not for one minute suggesting that this was the case with NoiQ – but there is only so much they can do in terms of emailing what they believe to be a genuine affiliate.

Regarding the iPoker issue
They are apparently still honing their rakeback policy document and that is why nothing has been seen, but rumours about domains containing rake or offering rakeback etc are rife, but the trouble is that nothing has yet been communicated to the masses on
As it stands there are still well respected rakeback sites (who are not rogue and can be controlled) still listing NoiQ and Titan on the same page with rakeback offers....who knows what punishment might be meted out

Impartial and objective as ever

RakeTheRake