GGPoker is taking precautionary measures following an online poker superuser scandal that attacked multiple poker sites by banning all third-party software use.
That includes heads-up displays (HUD), a tool that allows players to get an idea of an opponent’s tendencies.
Changes GGPoker is Making for Safety Reasons
HUDs show player stats such as voluntarily put money in pot (VPIP), preflop raise (PFR), and aggression frequency (AF). Having access to these stats that are available through third-party software such as Jurojin Poker gives some valuable insight into the type of opponent an online poker player is facing. Players have been legally using HUDs for many years on numerour poker sites.
But those days are over on GGPoker, and the reason is to prevent against future major cheating scandals. The online poker giant isn’t targeting HUDs specifically, however. GGPoker announced some new security measures that will give users “control over game client security, with four features designed to keep your sessions private and secure.”
One such feature is a screen guard, which blocks screenshots and screen recording of open poker tables, a response to the breach that allowed attackers to access the screen of some high-stakes online poker players. Another new feature is win-rate anomaly detection, a measure taken to spot players who are winning at such an alarming rate that they must be using real-time asstance (RTA) tools.
But the biggest change is the elimination of third-party software tools. These include popular products such as Jurojin Poker, Holdem Manager 3, and Poker Tracker 4. Players don’t only use those tools as a HUD. They’re also convenient ways to collate hand histories and other useful purposes.
“Previously, we permitted certain third-party tools that did not affect gameplay. However, following the recent incident, we are tightening this policy to better protect our players and reduce the risk of a similar incident,” GGPoker wrote.
The announcement also encouraged players to take additional steps to keep their devices safe and secure, including regularly scanning computers for threats, using passkeys instead of traditional passwords, and keeping an operating system updated.
Superuser Scandal: Poker Sites Were Warned About Suspicious Account