PokerStars removes micro-stakes from its Belgian site - an attempt to increase profit?

PokerStars was always making a lot of changes in its poker environment for it to become more recreational player-friendly. A week ago, June 15th, PokerStars went the other direction, eliminating certain micro-stakes cash games – possibly as a test – on its Belgian poker site.

It also appears that PokerStars decided to not communicate the change to the players and it caused a good amount of confusion. Players who enjoyed $/€/£ 0.01/0.02 cash games (No-Limit, Pot-Limit, and Fixed-Limit games with a maximum $2 buy-in) one day just logged in and couldn't fine the games in the lobby anymore.

The support replied after being asked after this matter:
"This is a follow-up regarding your recent email about NL2 cash game.

We have received the following information about these games. We are sorry to inform you that this is intentional.

We are indeed trialling [sic] the removal of $/€/£ 2.00 No Limit as well as $/€/£ 0.01/0.02 Pot Limit and No Limit games in Belgium, since June 15th.

We frequently review the selection of ring games and tournaments within our lobby and monitor how that affects the overall playing experience, whether playing on smartphone, tablet or desktop. We experiment with all aspects of the game by trying out new challenges, promotions and types of poker; launching new online series, such as the MicroMillions; and sponsoring live poker festivals around the world.

However, we do value your feedback and assure you it has been forwarded to the relevant team for this trial."

So, why the change?
We could only guess - but we think the effort was made to increase the amount of rake PokerStars generates from lowest stakes available, which amounts for a solid amount of players from the side.

A poster from TwoPlusTwo poker forum explained that this small change could make a significant difference in the earnigns if you look at raw numbers:
- at the $0.01/$0.02 rake is just 3.5% with a cap of $0.30.
- just one stakes higher, $0.02/$0.05, rake is 4.15 % with a maximum rake of $1.00.

Why hasn't someone made a new poker site already? Get 10 of the richest pros to pool together an investment!

Would you just get regulars to play there? Can you share what makes you think casuals/fish have issues with the changes they have been making?

Enough with the " how would this affect casuals " argument. Nothing affects casuals unless its huge since they are doing this for fun.
There are at least two different ways to " improve the overall playing experience " - which is what they call fish protection :

A) Create anonymous tables like tons of other sites have done
B) Either create a global pool for each XXnl so regs cant table select and/or ban bumhunting by not letting people sit on new tables unless ever table spot on a level is already filled


The thing is the market is shrinking, they are losing revenue and they are nowhere near where the investors expected to be at plus the scandal with their CEO. It's looking worse for them with every new day and they are forced to do those changes to keep holders happy. And its only natural that regs would hate them for it.

@Nitewin I doubt 10 richest pro's combined net worth will be even 30% of what PS spends on marketing annually. Only way of putting PS off the monopoly is to wait for the market to shrink more so they suffer more and then a new poker boom comes with smart investors taking advantage and driving PS out

Dont exactly see how would a poker boom happen though, unless USA or China randomly decides to legalize poker globally

just have 1 zoom table in the lobby with anonymous tables. that way people get to change nicks(if they want) daily. player pool will reach 500+ so everyone will get to play vs fish

The only reason I could see why they would remove micro-stakes is because they want to consolidate the liquidity of players on their cash game tables.

Belgium is regulated and their cash game tables are available to BE players only. I guess they don't have enough players to offer quality games: i.e the more players are split into different stakes/tables, the less tables you will have running.
So consolidating and driving players to certain stakes improves players' experience as they will most likely find more tables running/filled. It improves waiting time, game available, full tables (as opposed to tables running 2 or 3 or 4 handed etc...

Nothing to do with profit I think...

Kinda dumb they just woke up one day and decided to make such a change without prior notice. Be like blizzard man. If they even do an update they give u a week notice.

That is the biggest i dont give a fck i can do whatever i want attitude.

As for the actual changes? Probably probably both for profit and consolidating.

Just think for a second how much rake is generated at NL5 with a traffic like the have in belgium at these stakes.
Mucho mucho profit for sure....