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Fighting Cheats in Online Poker: A Modern Challenge
Joe Ingram: Cheating in online poker is a serious issue that keeps evolving. Collusion, bots, and cheat software are the primary forms of cheating. But how can we stop these crafty players?
John Andreass: Let's dive into this. In the past, when PokerStars reigned as the gold standard for security, things were more straightforward. Contextual detection - monitoring mouse clicks and running programs during gameplay - was adequate to combat bots. However, a Bloomberg report changed everything. Now, entire corporations are into the production of bot software, constantly refining their creation. It's a relentless cat-and-mouse game between them and the room's security services.
Bloomberg: Russian Bot Army Invades Online PokerRead
ReadBot operators are investing heavily in ways to bypass security protocols and improving gameplay. Contrary to popular belief, GTO bots aren't the biggest menace; they're highly influenced by human expertise.
Thanh Tran: What makes poker a challenge is that there's an infinite number of situations, and it's impossible to create an AI that always plays perfectly. Nevertheless, these bots have progressed significantly, not just due to technological advancements but also the vast amounts of money invested in them. We've examined the play of different bots, and contrary to GTO, their strategy is far from ideal.
John Andreass: A solver's goal is to solve the Nash equation, but a bot's goal is to make as much money as possible under given conditions. As a result, they focus more on exploiting the field rather than GTO.
The most significant threat to poker is fully automated bots because they drain the most money from the system. Unlike RTA, which is less common and usually used by individual players, bots can exploit the field and win significantly more than regular players thanks to their numbers.
Thanh Tran: The sad reality is that many rooms are indeed overrun with bot armies. What you read on forums is all true.
Tyler vs. WPN Bots: Community in Outrage, Rooms and Ambassadors SilentRead[Players are outraged, ACR management is staging a strange challenge, and bots continue to thrive.]
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Joe Ingram: So, how do we counteract all this?
Thanh Tran: Defeating bots is complex because many operators simply don't care. Small rooms solely interested in quick cash ignore long-term prospects. Bigger networks care about bots but prioritize attracting players over security. They don't collect data or consider machine learning infrastructure, vital for fighting bots. Our role, then, is to persuade operators that it's in their best interest.
From a technical standpoint, the key is data collection. In addition to contextual bot detection, there's a method based on analyzing their gameplay. Our goal is to effectively distinguish bots from humans, requiring extensive data about all aspects of their strategy.
John Andreass: Contextual detection is implemented by most game developers to fight cheaters, but in poker, they've found ways to counter it. However, their gameplay can't be hidden, so that's where our focus lies. As Thanh mentioned, we analyze vast databases to understand human behavior and identify patterns. We then help the security team identify players utilizing software or cheat sheets when such patterns emerge.
Joe Ingram: What happens when we notice something suspicious in a player's actions?
John Andreass: An investigation kicks off, just like in any other case. However, easy cases where cheaters are careless often go unnoticed, leaving many rooms unbothered.
Thanh Tran: Some operators don't care about bots at all, while others only use contextual detection to identify RTA or VPN. However, less than a fraction of them delve into gameplay analysis; it's too complicated and requires specialist assistance. We've developed our own solvers, use AI support, and created algorithms to find bot, GTO, or exploit patterns.
Joe Ingram: Can you explain what exploit bots are?
Thanh Tran: These are the number one concern. They use GTO as a foundation but deviate from ideal play to maximize profits. Both players and bots make adjustments, but certain patterns remain consistent. The fight to distinguish human exploits from bots is an ongoing area of research. Experts acknowledge it's challenging but possible by comparing various technical indicators, including stability and impulsiveness.
Joe Ingram: If bots occasionally make losing moves, will that complicate our task?
Thanh Tran: If only it were that straightforward. If a bot wants to be detected, just play poorly. But if it's not winning money, no one will look for it. The more random a bot's actions, the worse its results. To be profitable, it needs to follow recognizable patterns that differ significantly from human behavior.
John Andreasson: If a bot intentionally makes mistakes but still wins significantly more than regular players, it's not the smartest way to avoid detection.
Joe Ingram: Google recently released an AI bot that reads your screen and provides real-time advice. How will this impact poker?
Thanh Tran: These advancements in AI have little immediate relevance to poker. However, future AI developments may lead to additional complications. For instance, AI could help cheaters bypass contextual detection, forge documents during verification, or mimic human behavior with mouse clicks.
John Andreess: The concern is real. AI advancements will undoubtedly create new challenges. Yet, they may also bring opportunities, such as enhancing online poker security or diversifying game formats to attract new players.
Joe Ingram: Chamath Palihapitiya recently predicted the imminent death of online poker due to AI advancements. Are we worried about that?
Billionaire Predicts Imminent Demise of Online Poker. Visionary or Alarmist?
Former Facebook executive, poker enthusiast, and friend of Phil Hellmuth, Chamath Palihapitiya, believes the advancement of artificial intelligence signifies the last days of online poker. Regulars, however, disagree.
Thanh Tran: Chamath is addressing a natural process. Embracing technology faster will ensure a smoother transition into the new world, regardless of your profession. Whether a doctor or a poker player, ignoring advancements will lead to being left behind. AI simplifies life, so you'll gain an edge over those who resist change.
Who knows, maybe it'll even benefit us, leading to enhanced online poker security or unique game formats that attract fresh players.
Joe Ingram: Another significant issue is false cheating accusations. How can we protect players from being wrongfully accused?
John Andreess: A right to appeal should always be guaranteed. PokerStars and other rooms ask players to submit a session recording, detailing their actions. Sometimes, asking a simple question about open-raise range is enough to clarify situations.
John Andreess: From our end, we promise complete transparency in our collaboration with rooms. Information is typically only shared in fragments, as is standard practice in the gaming industry. In my opinion, poker rooms could also benefit from transparency. I know several high-stakes players who've stopped playing online due to a lack of trust in the rooms.
I believe it's now clear that no room can guarantee 100% security. However, when cheaters are caught, it should be reported – who, for what, how much money was confiscated, and who received compensation. This would boost trust levels.
- John Andreass: In the realm of poker, bots are not the biggest threat due to their reliance on human expertise, but they have significantly advanced thanks to technological advancements and vast amounts of investment.
- Thanh Tran: Our role is to persuade operators that combating bots is in their best interest. From a technical standpoint, the key is data collection and extensive analysis of bot gameplay to effectively distinguish them from humans.
- Thanh Tran: Exploit bots are the number one concern. They use GTO as a foundation but deviate from ideal play to maximize profits, making them challenging to distinguish from human behavior.
- Joe Ingram: AI advancements, like Google's AI bot that reads your screen and provides real-time advice, may lead to additional complications in poker, such as bypassing contextual detection or mimicking human behavior.
- John Andreess: Poker rooms could benefit from transparency in reporting cheaters, who they are, what accusations led to confiscations, and how the confiscated funds were distributed to restore trust among players.
