I'd also like to touch on the bot issue @exyle pointed out. Most players don't realize what bots actually bring to the game. They see them as farmers, but they earn their keep, in my opinion, by ensuring I always have a competitor.

I haven't been around quite as long as @mattclarke or Exyle, but I remember having to wait for 5+ minutes only to get an message that there were no opponents for me to battle in the early days. I don't think that's been an issue for years now.

I think Yabapmatt has the right idea. Banning is not the answer. The solution is to incentivize those wth bot armies to consolidate into a powerhouse champion team. It's not an easy fix, but paving the road to the future through uncharted territory never is. We should all try to remember that we've stepped off the beaten path and are pioneering our way into civilization version whatever.something and part of that journey is inclusiveness. Banning doesn't fit into the equation anymore than slavery can exist in a free country.

One more thing on bots... Knowing you're up against a bot is an advantage. As @bobaphet pointed out, bots are looking for the most logical cards to play, as well as what cards the opponent will likely play. If you think like a bot you can often easily counter what they submit.

However, as @giotrix pointed out, it is a different scenario for beginners, as I, too, have tried to bring back alt accounts with minimal assistance from my primary account and it was far more challenging than I thought it would be. However, we have a thriving rental market and one can get an entire deck for pennies a day, so having a hard front line of bots contributes to the success of that. It may seem like it sucks for new players, but it really adds a game within the game and demands layers of strategy to succeed.