The Stones Gambling Hall cheating scandal moved to another level recently after Mike Postle went on the offensive.
With the online poker world’s top pros accusing him of gaming the system, the live grinder has fired back. Appearing on Mike Matusow’s podcast, Postle said he was “10,000 percent” innocent.
Host and long-time pro Matusow had previously come out in defense of the accused. That bias may have crept through into the interview as The Mouth took a swipe at one of the most prominent critics, Joe Ingram.
Postle Proclaims His Innocence
Despite opening the second half of his show with “f**k the Joe Ingram fanboys,” Matusow did offer some degree of impartiality. Taking the opportunity to provide his side of the story, Postle said there was no way the accusations levelled at him could be true.
“It’s absolutely impossible for me to be doing what they’re claiming. It’s one thousand percent impossible,” Postle said on episode 21 of The Mouthpiece.
While skeptics could say Postle isn’t actually denying that he cheated, only that the assumed methods are wrong, he remains innocent until proven guilty.
In fact, to prove that he’s simply a superior player to those that frequent Stones Gambling Hall, Postle has challenged Doug Polk.
I dont play poker anymore https://t.co/qioBzf4qgW
— Doug Polk (@DougPolkPoker) October 6, 2019
Another vocal critic, Polk politely declined the offer of a heads-up match. He did, however, give Postle the chance to appear on his YouTube channel to refute the cheating allegations.
Scandals Must Not be Brushed Away
At the time of writing, Postle hadn’t accepted the offer but it’s clearly a story that’s not going away anytime soon. Despite some Twitter pundits calling for an end to the speculation, many have pointed out that the issue is much bigger than it may seem.
If it transpires Postle was cheating and Stones Gambling Hall is implicated, it could hurt poker’s image in the US.
I officially challenge @Mike_Postle to go live with me and explain the questions regarding the cheating allegations.
— Doug Polk (@DougPolkPoker) October 6, 2019
With the industry essentially given a second chance thanks the regulation of sports betting, legal scandals could stifle regulatory efforts in states where online poker isn’t yet legal.
The wider implications aside, Postle and Stones Gambling Hall will remain under the spotlight pending further investigation. For its part, the latter is carrying out another review of the situation.
However, with poker’s top brains continually analyzing hours of footage, further questions may yet arise as Postle aims to prove he’s not a cheat.