The Gambling Commission is Sharpening Scrutiny of Online Poker Integrity

20 October 2026

The Gambling Commission is escalating its focus on the integrity of online peer-to-peer poker, zeroing in on automated bots and suspicious third-party software as it seeks to ensure fair play. In 2015, the regulator flagged peer-to-peer poker for a closer look, seeking specific information from licensees about how prevalent cheating and collusion truly are. "The Commission is reviewing peer-to-peer poker and will gather information from licensees about collusion and cheating, including the use of automated poker robots ('bots') and third party software," read a statement. The goal, it emphasized, is to assess whether existing controls are sufficient to ensure that online poker is "crime free, fair and open."

Peppered with Bans and Bot Stories

Why the concern? The nature of peer-to-peer poker - pitting players directly against each other without an intermediary - leaves it uniquely vulnerable to collusion and gaming of the system. Bots that can make real-time decisions during a hand, or real-time assistance that connects players over the internet on the fly operate across jurisdictions, making them particularly difficult to police. By holding out the possibility of refunds and setting an anti-cheating atmosphere, the Commission seeks to vaccinate the community against this hazard. It is important that players are not fished into tables contaminated by the traffic of bots on multiple platforms.

Reputable operators are placing clear warnings on software in play and game records, and putting transparent mechanisms in place to ensure fair play. Still, bot wars still rumble. In 2023, 888poker reported that it had refunded more than $360,000 to 4,000+ players after catching over 160 accounts' gaming the system. PokerStars has also paid out $80,000 in recent years, though these sums are anecdotal and may soon increase even larger if the commission finds they're not closing the gap.

Clear Disclosure Rules

The Commission's Remote Technical Standards set out clear guidelines for operators around disclosure, monitoring, and enforcement. Coding of house-to-organizer or broadcaster communication must prevent software that cheats. RTS16 mandates that operators clearly specify which third-party software is allowed, such as HUDs, and detail what type of cheating is unacceptable. The rules apply to software that can interpret, analyze, or assist with live hands, as well as "seating scripts" that tip players to coordinated seatings to gain an advantage. Deliberate use of site-to-organizer communication to understand bots must be reported.

Operators are on the line to make players aware of the prohibited software. Under the current software standards, in the areas where real and automated play overlaps, it is considered casino collusion. Poker rooms must clearly display, in a game description, game rules, terms and conditions, help pages, or similar product information pages, a warning that players may be gambling against software programs as well as other players.

Other sections of the Disclosure documents lurk as background, confirming that collusion happens. Fraudulent advice and improperly aided play undermine the equity of poker - the idea that the best player wins. A bad beat feels merciful next to stacking a deck. Everyone knows the Swedish influencers will abide its ban - but it is stronger for enforcing its 2021 regulations to hold them to it. When it comes to realism vs fraud this upholds the more valuable hand.

Up to Serious Sums

Still, some believe the Commission is not going far enough. Over 11,000 accounts on QQPK, a major site, were flagged as potential cheating in one investigation. More than 890 were banned and nearly $300,000 set aside in compensation. Other sites have also been caught out by cases of collusion and real-time assistance, whether using cheap chatbots or more sophisticated AI or other machine-learning tools. Bad poker, as bad code, reoccurs as long as it's economically beneficial. Sums like these aren't chump change. When it comes to bots and cheating, on the global stage, who's really giving and who's gaming, and how much are they making? Enforcing standards in a global economy is a tall order, but both the Commission and the public demand it.

What It Means for Gaming and Players

There's a view that poker is taking extra steps to protect the integrity of the game. Plenty of players have strong opinions about it online. RTS16 also puts a bigger onus on operators and adds transparency around player warnings and complaints. The knock-on effects are felt in promotions, marketing, and product design.

Informative warnings may not prevent players from playing with the bots but clearly help the operator to sidestep consumer-protective regulations. More transparency in these guidelines never hurts. This battle has been felt globally. Don't mistake the regulators for bots on your side.

As with all aspects of poker, the Commission is seeking to strike a balance between transparency, affordability, and security in an age of increasing automation. The revised software standards go some way to address the opportunities for cheating, but it will be up to licensees to enforce them. The question up front remains how to weed out the bots.