Inflation and Potential Impact on Limits Spread

[Roy Munson]

In the U.S. it seems that after a long hiatus inflation may become a fact of life for the near future.

If the dollar is subject to significant devaluation is it possible that poker rooms may increase the stakes of the lowest games offered?

If, instead of $3/6 or $4/8 being the lowest games offered, $6/12 and $8/16 were the new rock bottom limits what percentage of players currently playing the lowest stakes would move up and what percentage would quit?

Could the games survive under this scenario?

Also, what impact would this have on the games as you moved up the stakes ladder?

[jba]

"Could the games survive under this scenario?"

the rooms will spread whichever games allow them to fill the most tables. As long as you keep seeing the 5:1 ratio of 2/4:4/8 and 3/6:6/12, they won't cut out the bottom limits.

the thing to watch out for IMO is the drop increasing due to inflation.

[habsfanca11]

Get real. Inflation would have to go absolutely nutty for there to be any impact on game structures. We would have to see inflation jump up to the 10% a month range to have a short term impact and that is not going to happen. Let's say inflation goes "sort of nutty" and jumps 300% for the year (to like 5-7%) Likely impact is that they increase the rake by a dollar (next year). You'll need to look harder for a live "doom switch".

[lefty rosen]

Inflation already has happened. I suspect all Vegas pokerrooms had 1/2 in the early 80's. Now because of inflation that game is now dead and 2/4 is now the norm. In another 20 years 4/8 will be the new 2/4. It's really what the average players wages/income that determine the new lowest limits. When a minimum wage job starts paying about 10 US an hour the lowest limits will reflect this..... [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[elena_elphie]

Yeah, Bay 101 just increased the drop on their 20-40 from $4 to $5. Grrr. Fortunately, Garden City, their competitor is a few miles away is still $4. I hope this increase costs them business and doesn't just lead Garden City to also increase their drop.