Defending champ Jamie Gold’s first reported not-good: He supposedly promised the dealers a $1 million tip if he won, and he did, but he didn’t deliver. First, we have reports from a WSOP dealer on Pokerati, and now “coonie” has put up his first-person account of stiffage on PokerBlog.

Bad form, to say the least. But a complete final-table snubbing? Either poker players are assholes as a race, or they are making collective commentary. When “the house” (Harrah’s) is already taking an over-substantial vig … and selling the shit out of everything in the near vicinity, it’s understandable — not necessarily right, but understandable — that the players decide, you know what, we’ve given enough … I earned this money.

With dealers reporting a huge pay decrease and veterans declaring their disinterest in returning and players already complaining about the quality (and quantity) of dealer scabs … this is probably one of the very first issues Pollack & Co. will have to look at. And how they handle it … well 2007 will be the real test of corporate poker influence, and whether it will improve or corrupt the game.

My suggestion: Go to a “no tipping” vig. Take out enough from the prize pool to adequately compensate dealers by the hour. Then, if a player wants to personally reward a specific dealer, it’s on them — appreciated, but not expected — to find that dealer and thank them with a tip.

And if the WSOP institutes a dealer toke for extra chips … then you’ll really know the sanctity of poker is gone, or at least irrelevant.