The benefits of webcams to online poker players are many: they let you watch your opponents, prevent cheating, and stop multi-accounting. While you’re sitting comfy and cozy at home alone, you get all the fun of being surrounded by friendly people, have facial expressions and tells to go by, and have the opportunity to win big money. With webcams, poker becomes a form of entertainment that’s not just all about the money.
The idea of introducing webcam into online poker has been hotly debated in the poker community for a while. People against the idea have cited the tendencies of online poker players preferring to play half dressed, without smiles on their faces (like robots), or while eating; all of which paint webcam poker in a much more negative light. They also say that it’s tantamount to an invasion of privacy, which is something online poker players prefer (otherwise they’d be playing in a live setting, right?).
So then, would you consider webcam online poker a privacy disaster or rather a new virtual opportunity to socialize?
The Benefits of Webcam Poker
Many online poker rooms with webcam poker options push their benefits, trying to carve out a niche as the quintessence of being social online while playing poker. On top of that, they’re happy to remind players that webcams will allay all their fears that they might be playing against bots or multi-accounters.
Some of the main advantages of playing webcam poker include:
- chatting with other players far more enjoyable when they’re “not just screen names”
- being able to read your opponents’ faces and look for physical tells
- note taking becomes much more valuable
- feeling like you’re playing with real people
The Drawbacks of Webcam Poker
Still, some players are quite wary of webcam poker, as they consider anonymity the most important part of playing online. Here are some reasons certain players will almost never be convinced to play webcam poker:
- you are forced to show your face
- rules prohibit you from wearing (or not wearing) whatever you want
- you’re prevented from playing at more than one table at a time
- without your anonymity, you lose confidence in your play
If you’re quite the slob, party hard, and don’t care to look civilized, webcam poker certainly isn’t for you. Moreover, you’d honestly be doing everyone else a favor by not showing your face at the online poker table.
Webcam Poker Rules to Follow
Almost all online poker rooms that offer webcam poker also have strict codes that all players who opt in must follow. Here are some rules common to most such rooms:
1) Webcam on Face
While playing, your face must be visible at all times. If your webcam is pointed at something else, and that means ANYTHING else, you’ll receive a warning from a moderator.
2) No Nudity
An online poker room is simply the wrong place for this sort of thing. Regardless of how good you look, flashing any extra skin is going to get you banned – no questions asked.
3) Hats
Just like at live poker tables, it’s okay to wear hats while playing webcam poker, so long as opponents can see your face clearly. If not, then lose the hat, or you’ll lose your account.
4) Sunglasses
You are allowed to “hide behind” sunglasses at webcam online poker tables. If you feel as though this will prevent your opponents from getting a read on you, then more power to you.
Failure to adhere to those policies could lead to your online poker account being suspended or even permanently banned from the site you play at. So the bottom line is that if you want to try webcam poker online, you better be prepared to follow the rules of play. The fact of the matter is that the online poker rooms have these rules in place in order to prevent rudeness, abuse, and ensure player protection from scams.
Tips for Playing Online Poker with a Webcam
Webcams are an exciting new development in the realm of online poker. If you decide to give them a try, just stick to the rules, wear a smile (and decent clothing) and you’ll be just fine. As for whether you should wear your personality on your face and focus on being more social, or try to keep a stone cold poker face while grinding out a profit, we’ll leave that question up to you.
With webcam poker, as much as the action is taking place online, everything truly becomes more real – including the prize money. Check out the list of the best online poker rooms out there and give it a go.