InsidePoker Business: Why was the decision made to make all tables anonymous?

Jonas Odman: We wanted to effectively stop players from using automated tools to track other players' style of play and using that information to their advantage. We call our strategy Bodog Recreational Poker Model and our focus is on the recreational, net depositing players. These tools used against them made the casual players’ experience worse and worse without them understanding why they lost their money so quickly. We want to give them more value for their money, and introducing Anonymous Tables accomplished that.

IPB: What effect has the change had on liquidity and player yields?

JO: After we launched Anonymous Tables we saw a drop in player numbers but the loss was lower than expected and what we are now seeing is the sharper (withdrawing) players that left are being replaced with exactly the type of players we are trying to attract.

IPB: Why was the option not left to the players, for example in permitting name changes?

JO: The players we are trying to protect do not know what they needed protection from.