- PokerStars reduces rake at microstakes PLO following player panel meeting.
- Rake reductions range for almost 7% to 4.4% at $0.10/$0.25. There are no plans to reduce rake at higher stakes.
- The new structures will be introduced on July 1.
Following the latest player meetings, PokerStars has announced reductions in rake for microstakes Pot Limit Omaha (PLO) cash games. The change will be implemented from July 1.
PLO rake at the lower stakes has been a perennial issue discussed since the first PokerStars player meetings were inaugurated. The argument goes that PLO deserves a separate rake structure to NL, because more players play hands, creating larger pots and therefore higher rake. Individual player rake pre hand in PLO is observed to be higher than no limit.
At the first meeting, PokerStars argued strongly that their data did not show that treating PLO differently to No Limit Hold’em (NLHE) cash games was justified.
The persistence of the issue has finally resulted in change. Rake percentages at all PLO tables from 1c/2c up to 10c/25c has been reduced, which should result in a rake reduction of between 4.4% to 6.9%.
Even in the announcement of this change, PokerStars does not accept that the rake levels are unjustified: “For now, the evidence we have suggests that PLO games are healthy, though PLO winnings are more heavily dependent than NLHE winnings on VIP status.”
PokerStars’ Steve Day added that the changes would be limited to lower stakes game: “This is not an indication that we will be changing rake for other stakes of PLO. We do not currently have any such intentions.”
The old structure had the lowest rake of all the major operators. The new structure reduces that further, now creating a sizeable gap between PokerStars and its rivals.
Old & New PLO Rake Structure
| Stakes | Old Structure | New Structure | ||||
| Blinds | Players | %Rake | Cap | %Rake | Cap | % Change |
| $0.01/$0.02 | 2-9 | 3.5% | $0.30 | 3.3% | $0.30 | -6.93% |
| $0.02/$0.05 | 2-4 | 4.15% | $0.50 | 3.9% | $0.50 | -5.65% |
| 5-9 | 4.15% | $1.00 | 3.9% | $1.00 | -5.65% | |
| $0.05/$0.10 | 2 | 4.5% | $0.50 | 4.25% | $0.50 | -5.28% |
| 3-4 | 4.5% | $1.00 | 4.25% | $1.00 | -5.28% | |
| 5-9 | 4.5% | $1.50 | 4.25% | $1.50 | -5.28% | |
| $0.10/$0.25 | 2 | 4.5% | $0.50 | 4.25% | $0.50 | -4.41% |
| 3-4 | 4.5% | $1.00 | 4.25% | $1.00 | -5.28% | |
| 3-4 | 4.5% | $2.00 | 4.25% | $2.00 | -5.28% |
