Russian Bot Ring Wins $1.5 Million at PokerStars, Maybe More

In a shocking report filed by PokerNews.com last week, it was revealed that a bot ring originating from both Russia and Kazakhstan may have infiltrated PokerStars.com, winning an estimated $1.5 million playing Pot-Limit Omaha.

This figure could even be more when factoring in benefits received through PokerStars VIP and Stellar Rewards programs, the probability that this activity is taking place on other sites, and the potential that some players may have gone undetected, Jason Glatzer of Poker News suggested.

PokerStars is not denying the breach and has taken drastic measures in preventing future exposure by suspending a number of accounts.

Stars Communications Director Michael Josem issued the following statement:

"We work very hard to stay ahead of people who attempt to violate our rules and invest significant resources (human and software) in detection and mitigation of violations, including the use of prohibited software, such as bots. In such cases, over 95% of offenders are detected proactively by PokerStars, with less than 5% identified by players. We always welcome the assistance of players in enforcing the rules of our games, because it can add focused insight that complements the methods used by our own systems. At the same time, we continually upgrade our detection capabilities in attempt to stay ahead of the bad guys."

Players are calling for more stringent security measures to be put in place.

One player reacted by telling Poker News: "For a poker operator it should be a top goal to keep cheaters out of the game. That's also why I was not amused by the fact this issue is going on for more than a year and that poker players had to do an own investigation about it first. So personally I'm very disappointed in PokerStars as the market-leader in not finding out about the case in an earlier stage."

- Ace King, Gambling911.com