Partypoker Against Cheating: United Efforts, Firmer Defence

Cheating in online poker has become an escalating concern. And it's challenging the integrity of the game we all love. Recently, Juha Pasanen, the Head of Game Integrity at partypoker, addressed this issue. He advocated for industry-wide collaboration to combat cheaters.

Pasanen has been pivotal in fighting unfair play. That has been his mission since joining partypoker's Game Integrity team in 2017. 

He was recently on a podcast with partypoker ambassador Jaime Staples. He stressed that poker operators should unite rather than compete against cheating methods. These methods include real-time assistance (RTA) and bots.

"I don't think we should be competitors in this area," he stated. "We're all in this together—the players, the other poker sites, and partypoker."

Around a decade ago, MPN tried to foster collaboration. It shared game integrity information with operators like PokerStars, Unibet, and 888poker. But GDPR data protection laws in the EU hindered these efforts.

In 2019, Rob Yong, then a partner at partypoker. He proposed a body called "Online Poker Against Cheating" (OPAC), later known as "FairPlay." The aim was to unite operators to ban bots and cheaters across major sites. The initiative didn't materialise, likely due to legal challenges posed by GDPR.

In 2022, GGPoker established the Poker Integrity Council (PIC). It was to protect the industry's integrity by investigating cheating and enforcing sanctions. The PIC collaborated with WSOP, WPT, and Triton Poker. This meant that PIC-identified cheaters stopped participating in tournaments.

In September 2023, GTO Wizard, a poker training platform, launched a Fair Play tool to combat RTA. They've partnered with top operators. These include WPT Global, the Winning Poker Network, and Playtech’s iPoker network. Their focus was on enhancing detection and prevention methods.

Partypoker has assembled a Game Integrity team. It consisted of former professional players, data analysts, and programmers. Their goal is to ensure fair play on the platform. 

The team utilises advanced methods to detect cheaters. These methods include analysing player performance for irregular patterns or requesting video gameplay. It can also be live streaming from players under suspicion. In extreme cases, they can conduct in-person observations. 

To combat data mining, partypoker has removed opponent screen names from hand histories. The platform's Random Number Generator (RNG) undergoes monthly audits. This maintains fairness.

The way forward is to share detection techniques and best practices. This could enhance the industry's ability to combat cheating. But, challenges arise when considering proprietary technologies and competitive advantages. 

For instance, PokerStars has invested in game integrity measures. So, they might hesitate to share their methods. Balancing the need for collaboration with protecting proprietary technology is a complex issue. And we must navigate it.

Industry collaboration in combating cheating is crucial. We must pool resources and knowledge. This way, we can create a more secure and fair gaming environment for all. 

Yes, challenges exist, especially about proprietary technologies and legal regulations. But operators must prioritise collective integrity over competition. If we overcome these hurdles, we can preserve the integrity of online poker.