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It’s a spill of profanities, the endless exclamations typed across a screen. A player is insulting you — offering virtual condemnations, chiding every card you take. An online casino was meant to provide refuge from such fiends, was to enable easy rounds. Chat room opportunities, however, have stolen the silence you craved; and the result is an avatar you can’t escape. He’s instead following you from table to table, trying to unsettle your strategies.

He’s succeeding — and you decide then to battle back. It becomes a confrontation of text and foul images, with you trying to win against a player you can’t even see.

The need for such a victory is understandable. It’s also, however, a mistake — because chat sessions are monitored online, and often these word wars will result in banishment. Accounts will be deleted and players will lose any profits they had gained.

The reason for this is simple: poor sportsmanship can’t be tolerated. It’s considered a breach of the gambling code. Etiquette demands that individuals offer respect to each other; and those who don’t must be ejected. By choosing to participate in the argument therefore you earn nothing but the wrath of the casino.

It’s important for players to avoid confrontation. Should any problems occur individuals should seek out moderators, voicing their concerns on forums or in private emails. Notification of the problem should be given and nothing more. The casinos must handle the issue. This is the only way to ensure that the source of the conflict is banned (rather than his victims).

Do not engage attackers. Let them instead chat their way into exile.