GGPoker has made a major overhaul to its time bank policy with the introduction of a new feature called the Time Bank Card.
The Time Bank Card functions similarly to time extensions in live poker. Players receive an initial allotment of free Time Bank Cards, with the amount varying based on the game type and stakes. Once a player depletes their free cards, they can purchase additional ones.
While Time Bank Cards are available in both tournaments and cash games, the option to buy extra cards is exclusive to cash games. Each additional card costs one big blind, which is deducted from the player’s account balance. If the balance is insufficient, the cost is taken from the player’s stack.
The feature went live on Friday, March 28 and is available in both GGPoker’s global dot-com market and GGPoker Ontario. It applies to all cash game formats, including No-Limit Hold’em, Pot-Limit Omaha, Short Deck, and the fast-fold variant Rush & Cash. However, it is not available in All-In or Fold games or during the Flip Stage of Flip & Go tournaments.
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According to GGPoker, the change in time bank policy was driven by player feedback, with many voicing concerns about slow play disrupting the game’s pace.
“[Time Bank Card] was implemented due to continuous player feedback asking for something to be done about players consistently and deliberately slowing the game down,” a GGPoker spokesperson wrote, on the platform’s official Reddit server.
Paid Time Bank is the New Way to Go?
Indeed, one of the most common complaints in online poker is that some players take too long to act, creating a considerable drag on the game. While longer time banks can benefit multi-tablers and give new players extra time to think through their decisions, they can also frustrate others at the table who are left waiting for their turn.
This delay disrupts the flow of the game, particularly for recreational players who typically play just one or two tables and prefer a faster pace.
GGPoker’s new policy aims to minimize unnecessary delays and maintain smooth gameplay. It also discourages excessive multi-tabling, as players will need to either act more quickly or reduce the number of tables they play. Otherwise, they risk paying one big blind per additional Time Bank Card, which can become costly.
Interestingly, for many years, online poker had no concept of a paid time bank. While some social poker apps offer a similar feature, the cost is typically deducted from in-game virtual currency, such as Diamonds.
However, just last week, the newly launched sweepstakes poker site ClubWPT Gold introduced a paid time bank option, allowing players to purchase an extra 10 seconds at a cost of 20% of the big blind. The site operates using Sweeps Coins, which can be redeemed for real money at a rate of 1 SC per 1 USD.
WPT Global, the second-largest online poker network in terms of cash game traffic, also offers a similar paid time bank feature. However, beyond these sites, no other online poker room currently charges players for using extra time.
It appears the paid time bank may become a new trend.
Well Thought Out or Bad for the Game?
At first glance, GGPoker’s new paid time bank policy may seem just as strict as those on ClubWPT Gold or WPT Global. However, it is designed differently.
On ClubWPT Gold or WPT Global, the fee goes directly to the house. On the other hand, GGPoker redistributes the collected fees to all other players at the table. This means that players who act quickly and don’t rely on extra time banks can actually benefit from those who do.
GG’s approach to encouraging faster decision-making and maintaining game flow appears well thought out. While ClubWPT Gold has a similar system, it collects the fees for itself, whereas GGPoker redistributes them among other players at the table.
Still, GG’s new Time Bank Card feature has faced criticism. One major concern is the requirement to pay for extra time, which some players feel unfairly forces them to spend big blinds just to think through their decisions. The impact on multi-tabling is another divisive issue—while some see it as a positive step toward curbing excessive multi-tabling, others argue that it places undue pressure on those who need extra time for difficult hands.
Some players are particularly frustrated by the inclusion of this feature in Rush & Cash, GGPoker’s fast-fold format, where the action is already much quicker than in other games. They argue that adding a paid time bank in such a fast-paced format is unnecessary and counterproductive.
Despite the mixed reception, this is a bold move. While many dislike the idea of paying for extra thinking time, the redistribution of fees to other players may help offset some of the controversy.
Only time will tell how this change affects their poker ecosystem, but for now, GGPoker’s approach stands out as a unique attempt to regulate game speed while maintaining fairness for all players.