Nacho Barbero Dropped by ACR Poker After Controversial Cheating Comment

Nacho Barbero’s offhand remark during a live PokerGO stream has sparked a storm in the poker world and reignited long-standing concerns about online poker security on the Winning Poker Network (WPN). In response, ACR Poker has officially cut ties with the WSOP bracelet winner and former brand ambassador.

The controversy unfolded during live coverage of the U.S. Poker Open, where Isaac Haxton, a respected pro and former ambassador for PokerStars and PartyPoker, confronted Barbero about a previous incident involving potential use of real-time assistance (RTA).

Earlier this year, Barbero had posted a photo of himself playing in ACR’s flagship Venom tournament—with the GTO Wizard software visibly open on his screen. While he claimed it was running for educational purposes and not used during hands, the image raised red flags in the poker community.

Haxton didn’t hold back:

“I’m just surprised ACR didn’t catch it automatically. Did you just have GTO Wizard open on your computer and ACR doesn’t even know? Are they even trying?”

Barbero’s response quickly went viral:

“I don’t think they’re even trying,” he said with a laugh.

Barbero later said he was joking, but the damage was done. Players, streamers, and industry voices criticized both Barbero and ACR Poker, reigniting discussions around cheating, RTA detection, and platform accountability.

Even competitors chimed in. ClubWPT Gold posted a cheeky jab on social media:

“At ClubWPT, we revolutionize online poker security by… trying.”

ACR quickly released a public statement addressing the situation:

“At ACR Poker, we take our game integrity and our responsibility to ensure a fair and competitive environment for all players seriously. Recent comments made by ACR ambassador Nacho Barbero on a live poker stream — comments which misrepresented our stance on third-party software and game integrity — do not reflect the values of our organization.”

The site confirmed that it had reached out to Barbero to discuss the matter, and shortly afterward, it was officially announced that Barbero is no longer part of the ACR team.

ACR Poker CEO Phil Nagy offered further insight into the decision:

“We never censor our pros or tell them what to say, but we do expect them to speak truthfully and be well-informed about our security efforts. To our knowledge, Nacho has not brought any security concerns or questions to us, either in team pro meetings or through direct communication. These comments clearly didn’t align with our core values, so we’ve decided to part ways.”

The Winning Poker Network has faced criticism in the past over issues such as bots, collusion, and RTA usage. Barbero’s viral comment has once again drawn attention to these topics and sparked renewed debate around the effectiveness of ACR’s anti-cheating efforts.

ACR Poker reiterated its commitment to fair play, game integrity, and building trust with its player community.