PokerStars are suspending all services in Russia

[okeedokalee]

It will help stir up the Russian population, ACR and the other sites should suspend Russians too.
Every small bit helps put pressure on the dictator.
Unfortunately the Russian economy and the ordinary citizen will suffer economically from the megalomaniac's bullying but their country and people won't be destroyed.

 

[Polytarp]

Agreed, pressure that can be brought to bear to stop this invasion from the outside and from the inside should be enlisted.

 

[eberetta1]

Don't buy the thought Russian people are not complicit in this, they seen the build up of troops, they know Putin lies as much as he breaths , they have family there , the fact is if enough of them took to the streets and actually protested in the 10's of thousands it would be over in a blink,either they take him out or eventually were all in it, Putin has no way out and he knows it,to the Russian people ,Putin has condemed you to years and years of sanctions , all these countries that needed your oil and gas will find other solutions , the lasting stain on Russia will never go away,1 man did this to your country and for you to sit there and claim poor old Russia,you have nobody to blame but yourselves,you put him there its up to you to take him out, if we end up in WW3 its all on Russia, they invaded and committed 100's of war crimes, Russia threatened using nuclear weapons nobody else, people need to quit trying to make excuse's for Russia,they are the only aggressor everything else is just a lie no matter how you try to slice it

The people of Russia elected this person into power. The people of Russia should be the only ones who take him out of power.

I am hoping more poker sites follow pokerstars lead. I cannot imagine how much sadness there would be if all this destruction were happening in Russia. But since city destroying is occuring in another country and being caused by Russia, only boycotts and sanctions on the russian masses will wake up the Russian population to change things, starting at the top of their political food chain.

 

[zoy4749]

I am Ukraine ! in my country there is a big grief, war!!!. I am sincerely glad that many poker rooms are suspending their work in Russia. maybe they will come to their senses and understand who is to blame for this. Enough to hide your head in the sand and pretend that this does not concern you. Putin buried Russia and I am ashamed that you, my Russian friends, do not think about the future. We will hate you for centuries .Glory to Ukraine!!!

 

[Sergei 9417]

Hi all
The fact that PokerStars blocks players from Russia will not affect the Russian economy in any way, and even more so it will not affect the decision of the government, rather PS itself will be less profitable, and sanctions lead all countries to a loss, I think negotiations are needed, find a common compromise

 

[Joe]

The issues with the 2003 invasion of Irak were:

1) It was done against the UN and therefore against international law
2) It was based on nothing but lies

As for point number 2), if its ok for the US to claim, that Irak must be invaded in a "preemptive strike", because the country has weapons of mass destruction, then its also ok for Russia to claim, that Ukraine must be invaded, because it is run by "neo-nazis". Maybe Bush did actually believe, that Irak had weapons of mass destruction, but thats still not a valid reason to invade, because having weapons is not the same as planning to use them against someone.

And when we dig just a little bit deeper, that real motive for invading Irak in 2003 was an attempt to turn the country and in the long run the entire Middle East into a democracy after western ideals. This was not so much the idea of Bush himself but more the people around him. But even so that was the real reason, and in the eyes of international law installing democracy is no more legitimate than preventing it. Not everyone agree, that democracy is the best system. Putin for instance dont think so, and neither do the chinese.

Its also important to note, that Irak was governed by the Baat party, which is some sort of communist ideology, and the country was an allied of Russia. So the invasion of Irak was also an aggressive act against Russia. Putin served his first term in 2003, and experiencing this total disrespect for Russia and its valid arguments might have played a large role in convincing him, that the West was still enemies of Russia, and that in the long run war was the only solution.

Syria is also run by the Baat party and is another ally of Russia. When civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, the west supported some rebel groups. But Putin was having none of it. He had seen, how the socalled "liberation" of Irak had done nothing but open the door for islamic fundamentalists. So he send russian soldiers to Syria to keep Assad in power. So in a sense there is a direct line from the invasion of Irak in 2003 to the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. And while one does not justify the other, its quite possible, we would not be, where we are today, if US leaders had not been so incredibly arrogant and stupid 19 years ago.

You understand that Saddam murdered his own citizens without compunction, right? :icon_scra

The way you write about him sounds like you used to date and miss him or something...

The guy was a murderous despot regardless of whether WMD's were fallacy.

 

[fundiver199]

You understand that Saddam murdered his own citizens without compunction, right? :icon_scra

Yes but I also understand, that this happened around 10 years earlier, and that no genocide was going on in Irak in 2003. I also understand, that the war ended up costing around 500.000 people their life. The number is highly uncertain, and some sources even put it above 1 million. Most of those lifes were lost during the insurgency, that followed the invasion, but its still fair to see this as a result of the invasion. So if the goal was to carry out some kind of humanitarian mission, the result ended up being the exact opposite. Far more people in Irak died a premature and violent death after the 2003 invasion, not less.

 

[JOSEALBERTV]

In reality, this type of sanction affects only players, and it won't even tickle Putin, I see it from pokerstars as a show of support for what Ukraine is going through.

 

[valanddon]

The people of russia voted him in and they are getting what they
deserve, if they want to play again, get rid of putin.

 

[CaptainXL]

I agree, it is a show of support. I don’t suppose hungry Russian mobs will actually consider this the last straw though, that they can’t play online poker.

 

[Skot_Gy]

This is bad news if we talk about some individual russian players who are not supporting the "special operation". But overall, i salute this decision (and all the sanctions applied over Russia).
Only by crippling the economy, their warpower will diminish.

Only by sanctions, people can feel the effects and may gain the momentum to overthrow the system.

 

[PLAYFUL1]

All games should be cancelled against the Russians players and I'm glad that Pokerstars has started this hopefully a trend.

 

[Joe]

Yes but I also understand, that this happened around 10 years earlier, and that no genocide was going on in Irak in 2003. I also understand, that the war ended up costing around 500.000 people their life. The number is highly uncertain, and some sources even put it above 1 million. Most of those lifes were lost during the insurgency, that followed the invasion, but its still fair to see this as a result of the invasion. So if the goal was to carry out some kind of humanitarian mission, the result ended up being the exact opposite. Far more people in Irak died a premature and violent death after the 2003 invasion, not less.

I guess if you are killed on the order of a murderous despot, or you die due to conflict to remove said despot, it makes little difference..? :dontknow:

Ending war and suffering without the use of violence, not an easy goal to achieve...

 

[poxerator78]

PS did everything right - as it should be for a reputable company, reputation is more expensive than money - if someone does not understand everything that is happening in the world, the Russian Federation made its own choice, and these are just flowers, the berries will be in half a year, everything will be much worse , but this is a lesson for other countries such as China, You need to measure seven times before cutting off once

 

[fundiver199]

I guess if you are killed on the order of a murderous despot, or you die due to conflict to remove said despot, it makes little difference..? :dontknow:

Ending war and suffering without the use of violence, not an easy goal to achieve...

I agree with that. But even so it is never acceptable to start a war based on lies, and that is, what past US president George Bush did. He even claimed, Irak was behind the 9/11 terror attacks, which was completely fabricated. Most of the terrorists were from Saudi Arabia, and some of them had been living in germany until the attacks. Irak had nothing whatsoever do to with the 9/11 attacks, yet more than half the american population believed this blatant lie.

Which brings us back to Putin and 2022. Because if people in a socalled free and democratic country can be decieved that easily, then how can we expect russians to act any different? And how can we even morally complain, that Putin make up stuff like Ukraine being run by "neo-nazis", when less than 20 years ago the leader of the socalled free world did exactly the same thing, when he wanted to start a war in another country?

 

[Alex70793]

At all poker rooms where the game is closed for Russia, you can log in to your account, yes you can't play, but you can withdraw your money freely.
You can withdraw money on all blocked poker rooms, but not on pokerstars, you can't not play, not withdraw your money.

 

[fundiver199]

You can withdraw money on all blocked poker rooms, but not on pokerstars, you can't not play, not withdraw your money.

Thats not very nice by Stars, and I dont agree with it. Since nobody know, when or even if Stars will return to the russian market, they should find a way to let russian players withdraw their funds.

 

[TheIpS]

Many people think that the people chose Putin. This is not true. The entire progressive population, the youth did not vote for him. Most Russian players didn't vote for him either. Successful players will simply leave the country and play in another country, possibly taking another citizenship. Ordinary poor people who voted for Putin will simply not feel the ban on poker. They will continue to tolerate power, simply existing to at least feed their family.
Therefore, the ban on the game for Russian players will not help change the government in Russia, but will further incite hatred between peoples and ordinary people of different nationalities.


IMHO

 

[Alex70793]

Thats not very nice by Stars, and I dont agree with it. Since nobody know, when or even if Stars will return to the russian market, they should find a way to let russian players withdraw their funds.

The management of pokerstars probably thinks that in the near future this situation will change and Russian players will be able to play on pokerstars again, pokerstars does not want to lose customers, I think that's why players are not allowed to withdraw their money.

 

[Nik990]

I don't understand how a poker ban can affect something? Why restrict Russians in the game of poker?

 

[Shoveazebi]

we shouldnt punish people who have no responsability in this war, its so infair

 

[balo]

I don't understand how a poker ban can affect something? Why restrict Russians in the game of poker?

It's temporary , because we want to send a message to the Russian people, even if you feel innocent in this. So maybe there will be a political change in the future.

 

[molokheia]

hi there

together with all other companies I fully agree with this
In 2022 it´s unbelievable that we are still fighting and killing each other

rgds

 

[Whompus]

Not a germans are behind Putin.. but is it possible to weed out the ones that are?

 

[DS3]

I agree with that. But even so it is never acceptable to start a war based on lies, and that is, what past US president George Bush did. He even claimed, Irak was behind the 9/11 terror attacks, which was completely fabricated. Most of the terrorists were from Saudi Arabia, and some of them had been living in Germany until the attacks. Irak had nothing whatsoever do to with the 9/11 attacks, yet more than half the american population believed this blatant lie.

Which brings us back to Putin and 2022. Because if people in a socalled free and democratic country can be decieved that easily, then how can we expect russians to act any different? And how can we even morally complain, that Putin make up stuff like Ukraine being run by "neo-nazis", when less than 20 years ago the leader of the socalled free world did exactly the same thing, when he wanted to start a war in another country?

As I have said before making such comparisons is of no use and really is not valid.

The invasion of Iraq led by the US and UK, with the US primarily responsible for fabricating evidence was wrong in every way. But there was context.

The USA had suffered 9/11, the Twin Towers collapsing with 3,000 New Yorkers dead and the entire world shocked. At that point the neo-cons led by the likes of Cheney, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, fronted by Bush led an extremely malleable US public to war on a false pretext.

It does make it right but the US public was in shock.

In contrast Russia can make no such claim. Ukraine did not send missiles into Moscow killing 3,000. It was Russia itself acting in a belligerent manner throughout the region, annexing Crimea and agitating in Donbass for years. Russia was simply propagandizing its own citizens without actually presenting any real grievance to cover its own aggression.

I have seen (as we all have ) clips of Russians stating Putin had no choice but to rid Ukraine of the Nazis. Except all they have done is take the state's word without evidence and there never was the equivalence of a Russian 9/11.