Haxton exits Team PokerStars Online over VIP changes
Prominent poker player Isaac Haxton has become the latest high-profile name to announce his disassociation with PokerStars over the internet poker brand’s decision to introduce various changes to its VIP rewards programme.
Amaya-owned PokerStars in November unveiled a host of changes to its online poker platform, including the introduction of a new ‘VIP Steps’ programme from January.
The changes have sparked a strong reaction from customers, with more than 2,000 players opting to boycott PokerStars in recent weeks due to the changes, but PokerStars last month confirmed it would proceed with its plans.
However, US-born Haxton has upheld his position over the changes and stepped down from Team PokerStars Online.
Haxton, popularly known as ‘Ike’ in the poker industry, said in a Twitter post: “I have resigned from PokerStars in protest of the changes to the Supernova and Supernova Elite programs.”
He added: “There’s a lot not to like about these most recent changes and the way they’ve been communicated, but there’s one aspect that I just can’t accept.
“Announcing in November that players who earned Supernova and Supernova Elite status in 2015 will not receive the benefits they had expected in 2016 strikes me as dishonest and unfair.
“This is a difficult day for me and I’m truly sad to be parting ways like this with a company that I once held in such high regard.”
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