In the battle against online poker cheating, player vigilance stands as a key line of defense. Despite operators’ tech advancements, recent ACR and GGPoker scandals highlight the unmatched value of player-driven exposés. Through platforms like the 2+2 forum, the poker community plays a crucial, active role in unmasking cheaters.
It’s important to stress that these are still isolated incidents — millions of online poker hands are played every day, and the overwhelming majority are free from cheating. Still, cheating in online poker has resurfaced as a prominent concern, with instances of prohibited software, automated tools, bots, real-time assistance, collusion, and even superusers emerging on various platforms in the last few months.
Take the example of the recent accusation targeting the US-facing offshore unregulated platform, ACR Poker, where hundreds of accounts were alleged to be operated by bots (a so-called bot farm). Additionally, GGPoker faced a shocking “superuser” scandal after a security breach, providing an unfair advantage to a player by granting access to flop and turn all-in equities.
Similar concerns about bots, AI, and other forms of cheating have been raised in relation to offshore poker rooms and private club apps like PokerBros.
Players Remain Just as Important Today as 15 Years Ago
Efforts to curb cheating — including collusion, the use of prohibited software tools, and using automated software, or bots — have been ongoing since the early days of online poker. PokerStars is widely acknowledged as a leader in cheat detection within the industry, and all major operators employ dedicated teams to identify and investigate cheats.
However, it is crucial to recognize the role played by players in unveiling these scandals. In both the ACR and GGPoker cases, players significantly contributed to assist operators in exposing instances of cheating.
Platforms like 2+2 serve as vital hubs where players share hand histories, discuss suspicions and collectively investigate potential cheats. These forums not only facilitate communication but also empower the poker community to actively contribute to the ongoing battle against fraud.
In fact, the 2+2 forum has a notable history of player collaboration in exposing cheaters, playing a crucial role in the infamous Ultimate Bet/Absolute Poker superuser scandal that shook the online poker world in 2007.
Over the years, the platform has been instrumental in exposing various forms of cheating, including Real-Time Assistance (RTA), bots, collusion, multi-accounting, and more.
Tools and Hand Histories Still Needed to Help Keep Games Safe
While forums acts as a medium to share suspicions, the significance of third-party tools cannot be overlooked. These tools help players analyze their play and opponents and act as a “police” force in detecting bots, collusion, and other forms of cheating through hand histories associated with these tools.
Specifically, third-party tools like Heads-Up Displays (HUDs) such as Poker Tracker and Hold’em Manager, along with tracking tools like Smarthand and Sharkscope, have played a crucial role in identifying instances of cheating.
In an exclusive pokerfuse interview conducted in 2019, Derek Charles, Managing Partner for the company behind popular tracking tools Hold’em Manager and PokerTracker, emphasized hand histories as a “fundamental online poker player’s right.”
However, there is a growing trend among operators to curb the influence of these third-party tools, viewing them as providing an unfair advantage. GGPoker, for instance, has a blanket prohibition on third-party tools at its tables and recently extended its policy to ban tournament results displayed on Sharkscope. Unibet and partypoker also have similar restrictions.
While players welcome efforts to reduce the effectiveness of such tools, concerns persist about their ability to “police” games and detect cheats without the aid of tracking software. These concerns become more pronounced in light of recent cheating scandals involving ACR Poker and GGPoker.
Although operators have undeniably made advancements in technological solutions to detect cheats, the role of third-party tools, hand histories, and collaborative efforts on platforms like 2+2 remains pivotal in safeguarding the integrity of online poker.
It is through the joint commitment of operators and players alike that the online poker community can effectively combat and minimize the impact of cheating, ensuring a fair and enjoyable experience for all.
