The nature of online poker makes it highly vulnerable to cheating and this is what online poker rooms have been working so hard to address in recent years. They have enhanced their security and detection measures to effectively combat the many forms of cheating employed by some players, particularly the use of Real Time Assistance (RTA).
At the forefront of the ongoing campaign of maintaining the game’s integrity is PokerStars which recently gave an update on their efforts to block RTA. In a recent blog post, PokerStars’ Head of Game Integrity Francis Lincoln outlined how the site combats RTA, the team involved in it, and the consequences for players found to be using the prohibited software.
Getting Ahead of the Curve
According to Lincoln, PokerStars has been successfully fighting cheats for nearly two decades, and while their detection mechanisms have evolved over the years, their strategy to ensure every player engages on a level playing field remains the same – identify the threats early and continue to innovate and improve the tools to get ahead of the curve.
PokerStars identify potential RTA use by a player via alerts in real-time. The alerts are prompted by the site’s system-integrated detection tools. An experienced agent investigates the case and makes a decision. Afterwards, the case is forwarded to another agent who will review it and reach a conclusion.
Permanent Ban on RTA Users
Lincoln highlights their zero-tolerance approach to RTA use, with the operator imposing a permanent ban on players caught cheating using the software. The balance is then confiscated and re-distributed to those affected.
