I know I'm probably going to regret getting involved in this thread, but there's two stand-out posts I'm afraid I cannot ignore...
(First a little back-story on my time in the industry - others have added their experience to their posts, so... (I also know some of you here know me, but others may not so this may be helpful to know this post isn't just random speculation(?))
I have spent >15years working for some of the biggest online and land-based gaming companies. Of specific relevance to the below, during my time in the industry I have launched and managed a poker network (that grew to the largest in the mid-noughties. (During this time I also played as a semi-professional, sponsored in both online and land based tournaments)). I have also spent 2-years working with one of the most respected Regulatory authorities.
From these experiences, I have seen all sides of poker - as a games provider, a player, and a Regulator.
... Pokerstars ... before they ran into millions of debt with the US government for tax infringements....
WRONG. PokerStars (like a few other sites that remained in the US post UIGEA) had their sites blocked for US players as a direct result of contravening the wire act. Long-story short, they paid all players as soon as they reached agreement with the US government about how the withdrawals would be processed. They also then purchased FullTilt and made good on all their player debts too.
...They advertise their shuffle is random tested and certified. What they don't and will never have tested it the outcomes and what happens after the shuffle. Where 2/3s of the deck are left open to manipulating by clever coding...
Wow, just wow... If you know anything about the PokerStars RNG, you'll know that manipulation is impossible. You really think someone can use their internet connection to manipulate the outcome of 2 separate physical activities that decide what happens?! A video giving full details of the PokerStars RNG and shuffle can be
.
If you know better, please please PLEASE come back here and provide evidence.
If you have been an online poker player you will know things can be totally rigged, the Full Tilt poker scandal and others are a prime example. Even top trusted players involved cheating for millions online.
An utter disgrace!
Full Tilt was all about financial mismanagement & had nothing whatsoever to do with rigging games. A very different issue to player tracking and the perception of adjusting RNG / RTP (which is how this thread started).
Could just be me, but I think mixing the two different subjects could add further confusion to the discussion(?).