At my casino the straddle sets a new bring in on NL games, so on a $1-2 game with a $5 straddle (not optional, it's always $5 if you straddle) the minimum raise is to $10. On a $2-5NL game the straddle is $10 and the minimum raise is to $20.
At my previous card room, however, the straddle counted as a raise and so on a $1-2 game the straddle was $5 and the min raise was to $8.
As the house makes money off of rake, and the bigger the pots the more we rake, wouldn't it be in our best interest to have rules in place that increase the size of the pots and speed up the game?
Ex. If on a $1-2 game with $5 straddle we allow a min raise to $8 and 4 players go to the flop, we've got a $32 pot with a $3 rake. If the minimum raise is to $10 and someone raises to that amount and 4 players see the flop, then we've got a $40 pot with a $4 rake. Not only that, but we have all the time we spent making change for all those players added in as well.
There are problems either way because of "clever players” (in quotations because you know the type I'm talking about. If the minimum raise after a straddle is double the straddle, then "Clever players" will point out that on a $1-2 game with a $5 the difference is $3 therefore the raise should be $3 more to $8 and we have to explain it to them that that is how it works here.. If the straddle is incremental and we allow the raise to be to $8, then the “clever player” types will try to point out that the previous bet was $5 and the raise should have to be $5 more. Either way, someone at the table will waste your time by trying to argue the other way. They will usually say “every casino in the world does it the other way” (Tell me how many times a week you guys here that, amiright?). The fact is that every poker room manager is going to think his way is the best way, and in the end it doesn’t really make much of a difference. The only thing important is that the rules are clear to all members of staff, and that everyone stays consistent on it and is able to quickly explain why something is a certain way without slowing down the action.