At the PokerStars North American Poker Tour 2025 in Las Vegas, Maria Konnikova doesn’t sound alarmed so much as intent. The New York Times‑bestselling author and PokerStars ambassador is talking about cheating — not as a tabloid scandal but as a window into human behavior. Her next book, she explains, is about cheating across all games, though poker provides some of its most vivid case studies.

“These are cheating scandals that have been on my radar for a few years,” she says. “But one of the difficulties I’ve encountered in researching this book is that, especially in something like poker, it’s very difficult to prove cheating allegations, and people don’t want to come forward… There’s mob involvement, and why do you want to be the person who puts your name at risk?”

I would like to think that these revelations will encourage other people to come forward and will help make the game safer for everyone That risk feels tangible after the events that dominated headlines earlier this year. A U.S. Justice Department investigation described as “reminiscent of a Hollywood movie” led to 31 arrests, including alleged members of La Cosa Nostra, Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, and former NBA player Damon Jones. Authorities said hidden cameras, rigged shuffling machines and RFID hacks were used to cheat unsuspecting players out of tens of, and in some cases hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Konnikova doesn’t hide her satisfaction at seeing consequences. “I’m actually absolutely thrilled that these indictments came out,” she says. “Because, you know, when there’s an official investigation it’s a little bit different… I know people who’ve played in these games, and there’s a certain allure to playing with some big names that even if you think that something might not be quite on the up and up, you still might be willing to do it because you want to rub elbows with them.”

For her, the lesson is moral and structural. “People don’t want to play if they think they might get cheated,” she says. “But if they know that even if you’re Chauncey Billups, you’re going to be held to account if you cheat, then all of a sudden you feel much safer… it’s much better for the game for those things to come out.”

Poker and Technology

They don’t need to be filming hands in progress… limiting filming at the table is definitely something that should be explored. Technology, of course, is the double‑edged issue behind it all. While modern poker thrives because of apps, solvers, and livestreams, the devices that make study easier also make deception nearly invisible. Konnikova is blunt: “My phone is currently on the felt — this should not be allowed. Technology basically cannot be near a poker table.”

Some argue banning devices could alienate a generation raised on screens. She responds with history. “People say things like, ‘Oh, but no one’s going to play if they can’t have their phone.’ Guys, they played for hundreds of years without a phone. Poker’s an old game, and they’re still gonna play.”

Even social media itself, she warns, can distort the spirit of the game. “I do understand that, you know, vlogging helps grow the game,” she says. “But I would suggest kind of a hybrid approach  —  let  people  vlog behind the scenes. They don’t need to be filming hands in progress… limiting filming at the table is definitely something that should be explored.”

Konnikova laughs when describing how she feels at televised events without gadgets. “When I’m on a TV table, I can’t have my phone and I can’t have headphones … and I play so much better because I’m so concentrated,” she says. “You can check it during breaks — it’s actually kind of good.”

Her optimism resurfaces as the conversation ends. “I would like to think that these revelations will encourage other people to come forward and will help make the game safer for everyone,” she says. “I hope that these will ultimately have a very positive impact on poker.”

If poker’s future hinges on trust, Konnikova’s prescription is simple: fewer cameras, fewer distractions, and fewer excuses. Because even in a game built on bluffing, integrity is still the real tell.