Should poker players do more for the dealers?
Following some shocking stories of dealer mistreatment at live poker events, is it incumbent on the players to speak out for them?
Last month the Battle of Malta caused outrage by making the male dealers work topless in the Ladies Event. What was at first seen as a woeful misjudgement quickly highlighted how poorly dealers are treated during some major poker festivals.
Chip Race host Dara O'Kearney spoke to a number of dealers anonymously for his blog and they revealed some shocking working conditions. In the Malta example some dealers were used to low wages of €6-7 an hour and were offered €50 to deal topless. There were also complaints about food, poor hotel conditions and in some cases having to share a bed with another dealer they did not know.
His co-host David Lappin then revealed that none of the 3% from the Main Event taken from the prize pool (after rake) was given to a single dealer. This prompted Dara and David to host an anonymous dealer on their show who confirmed everything they had been uncovering. Dealers often did not get a share of the tips and, because most of them were freelance, were all scared to speak out because it would probably mean they never worked again. Their fear was so ingrained that the dealer who spoke to The Chip Race did so using a voice distorter.
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🇮🇪 @clodagh_hansen & DEALER X discuss the subject of dealer treatment🔠RT = draw for €50 @UnibetPoker UOS seat pic.twitter.com/N2ZXcORRGw
— 🎙 THE CHIP RACE 🎙 âï¸âï¸âï¸âï¸âï¸ (@thechiprace) November 5, 2019
It's about more than just tipping
As a member of the poker media I've always enjoyed the camaraderie we share with the professional poker players we report on. I know of plenty of dealers who have a similar relationship with the players they deal to, but this story suggests to me that a great number more perhaps feel ostracised in the poker community. Just because we tip them well now and again does not mean we have done our bit.
As Lappin and O'Kearney pragmatically suggest at the end of their show, rather than naming and shaming specific operators (which would probably only serve to get the dealers who speak out fired) we should instead celebrate the tours that treat all their staff well. More importantly, it should be incumbent on those of us who play live poker to ask the dealers how well they are being looked after and speak out on their behalf, threatening to boycott if necessary.
As a community we are all very quick to complain when an online poker room makes a change we don't like. The dealers are really the lifeblood of live poker, we should be just as vocal when live operators make decisions that negatively impact them, for their sake and also to ensure we get the best dealers to keep working in poker.
I think a very good starting point is to do as Lappin and O'Kearney have done, ask the dealers privately how well they are being looked after and provide a voice for them when they aren't.
How well do the dealers get looked after at your local poker room? Let us know in the comments:
