Unsavoury Implications with Imitation EPT Markings on Import Chips? (1 Viewer)

[Billionaire Bob]

(First off, hopefully the half dozen controversial topics in my first thread don’t just get the thread immediately closed. A cursory glance at the Posting Rules seems to indicate that Rule #5 “Users shall not post about topics or link to sites that are illegal or explicit” is the only one that might apply, though I assume the context of that rule is in regard to organizing illegal events that users could participate in, not discussing court cases of convicted illegal actions, maybe this is a grey area. Then there’s the IP law, again hopefully I’m not upsetting anyone by mentioning imitation pattern chips. Here goes...)

So there’s these chips on Aliexpress (Controversy #1. Quality of import chips with no local retail presence for returns/QC) that have EPT/Poker Stars markings (Controversy #2. Obviously that’s a copyright issue in most places but since they’re only imported from China there is no IP restriction on the seller’s part). I like the markings and colors (Controversy #3?) and for the most part I couldn’t care less about the branding.
The issue of contention is whether or not the relation to online poker (Controversy #4), or the fraud convictions https://www.espn.com/poker/story/_/id/8202825/ira-rubin-sentenced-three-years-poker-case (Controversy #5), and possibly the resulting fallout on U.S. online poker (controversy #6), carries a stigma among the general poker community.

To condense the question a bit more, ignoring the origin of the chips, would you ever object to playing with chips associated with “Online Poker”? Or would you object to a brand of chips previously related to convicted persons?

I know most people will be very nonchalant, but you never know if someone might have strong feelings for one of a myriad of reasons.

 

[orsonberger]

Hello, I have no conscience problems for playing with chips with online poker logos.
I have been playing EPT in Barcelona and Prague for years and the official PS chips are not too different from Chinese copies.
and I have had some gift sets of PS chips, Full Tilt poker, and I have sold or given them away without regrets, even I still have a Paulson set of Ultimate bet, chips are chips if you like go for them.

 

[BGinGA]

Controversy #7 - willingness to order chips when facing a high probability of receiving substandard items that are totally different than pictured items.

 

[Quicksilver-75]

Controversy #7 - willingness to order chips when facing a high probability of receiving substandard items that are totally different than pictured items.

Not just limited to chips. My buddy ordered a Michael Jackson zipper jacket. He’s about 230lbs and 6’3”. An XXL jacket arrives barely big enough to fit his daughter...

 

[Billionaire Bob]

Controversy #7 - willingness to order chips when facing a high probability of receiving substandard items that are totally different than pictured items.

Indeed, ordering direct from China is a big gamble, but there are enough positive reviews that I’m willing to take the risk, and of course sample batches can always be ordered before committing.

 

[TheDuke]

To condense the question a bit more, ignoring the origin of the chips, would you ever object to playing with chips associated with “Online Poker”? Or would you object to a brand of chips previously related to convicted persons?

I know most people will be very nonchalant, but you never know if someone might have strong feelings for one of a myriad of reasons.

Years back when Absolute Poker folded, a ton of their branded chips hit the market. Many of us bought them on impulse because they were dirt cheap.

I still have a 1000 of them (most of them still in original plastic wrap).

Not sure if anyone was actually convicted at Absolute, but these chips seemed to check off both of your points and I don't recall anyone having any (moral) issue buying them.

 

[HeWhoWouldPun]

If you like the chips, get the chips. If people are going to shame you for the chips you like and want to use, you need different people.

My personal hesitation would be the fact that I don't care for "branded" items that are free advertisement (for example paying for a tee shirt that has a giant logo for company that made it). I'm probably the outlier on that issue but I don't want to spend my money to advertise for somebody else. Granted, one could argue that all chips are "branded" and are free advertisement if they are live chips (I'm okay with that level of hypocrisy for cool chips).