"Back Door" Cheating Scandal Rocks Online Poker

AcidAUS sends us the story of an online poker cheating ring that netted an estimated $10M for its perpetrators over almost 4 years. The article spotlights the role of an Australian player who first performed the statistical analyses that demonstrated that cheating had to be going on. "In two separate cases, Michael Josem, from Chatswood, analyzed detailed hand history data from Absolute Poker and UltimateBet and uncovered that certain player accounts won money at a rate too fast to be legitimate. His findings led to an internal investigation by the parent company that owns both sites. It found rogue employees had defrauded players over three years via a security hole that allowed the cheats to see other player's secret (or hole) cards." The (Mohawk) Kahnawake Gaming Commission, which licenses the two poker companies, has released its preliminary report. MSNBC reporting from a couple of weeks back gives deep background on the scandal.

Comments

'insider knowledge'

[B5_geek]

This cheat required somebody on the 'inside' to perpetrate. As with most casino table games, if you have somebody on the inside, cheating is easy.

This is how I cheated at various online poker sites. Me and two buddies would join a table, and have a VNC connection setup to view each others hands. two of us would play dummy hands based on whom had the best hand of the bunch. We cleaned out every table we played at.

That's what you get in Kahnawake...

[Anonymous Coward]

For those who don't know, Kahnawake is Mohawk territory claimed by the aboriginals (aka Indians) in Canada.

The Mohawks claim to sovereignty over the land, and do not allow the provincial & national police to enter.

To avoid stirring up trouble, the Canadian government usually doesn't send police to Kahnawake, even though the Canadian government doesn't recognize the Mohawk claim to exclusive sovereignty.

Without any real police force, crime flourishes in Kahnawake. Drug smuggling, gun smuggling, people smuggling, cigarette smuggling, you name it.

Don't trust any business in Kahnawake, let alone a business attractive to crime, like gambling.

Not long ago, there was a Mohawk criminal driving at high speed (off-reserve) trying to get to the Mohawk territory before getting caught by the police chasing him. He made it on to the Mohawk territory, and the police abandoned their pursuit. Sadly, the Mohawk driver ran a stop sign and killed a Mohawk teenager.

For the people of Kahnawake, it seems that it is more important to be the victims of aboriginal criminals than to cooperate with non-aboriginal law enforcement. Sad.

Re:This is why

[gnick]

There is only one way to make money gambling: Make sure you are "the house". In the long run, only the house wins.

Actually, I cleaned up last time I was in Vegas. My buddies did too - We developed a 'system'.

1) Fill your pocket with nickels.
2) Find a nickel-slot, sit down, and drop a nickel in.
3) Wait for the cocktail-girl to walk by and spin the slot.
4) Tell the girl, "Why yes, I would enjoy a Heineken on the house."
5) Accept your beer and walk off to find another nickel-slot. (Alternatively sit at the same one, but that will require tipping if you want regular service.)

Maybe you get your nickel back and maybe you don't. Who cares? It's a full night of nickel-Heineken. A buck goes a LONG way.