New Wave of GGPoker RTA Bans? High-Stakes Pros Raise Questions Over Security Reviews

The fight against cheating has become one of the biggest challenges in online poker. Bots, real-time solver assistance (RTA), and AI-powered decision tools have pushed poker sites to invest heavily in increasingly sophisticated security systems.

Recently, however, another debate has been gaining momentum: can anti-cheating systems mistakenly identify legitimate players as rule breakers?

That discussion has intensified around GGPoker after several well-known online professionals publicly claimed they were permanently banned following lengthy investigations into alleged Real-Time Assistance (RTA) use. While none of these cases prove that the players were wrongly banned, they have sparked renewed discussion about how transparent poker sites should be when enforcing their security policies.

One of the most talked-about cases comes from a regular who played primarily NL500 and NL1000 cash games. In a detailed post on the TwoPlusTwo forums, the player described what he says was a weeks-long investigation that ultimately ended in a permanent account closure.

According to his account, he had played on GGPoker for years without incident before receiving a warning from the site's security team regarding suspected RTA use.

The player says he requested examples of the hands that triggered the investigation but was not provided with specific hand histories. Instead, he was reminded that even consulting preflop charts during active play violates GGPoker's rules.

Interestingly, the player claims he was still able to play for nearly two weeks after receiving the initial warning before his account was eventually frozen and a formal investigation began.

Based on the player's description, the review extended well beyond a standard identity verification process.

Among the information allegedly requested were:

• Government-issued identification
• Proof of address
• Selfie verification
• Computer hardware specifications
• A list of installed software
• An explanation of VPN usage
• Details about coaching arrangements and staking deals
• Previous online poker history

The player also claims he offered to play under live observation, share his screen, or record his sessions to demonstrate that he was not using prohibited software. According to his version of events, those offers were not accepted.

After more than a month of investigation, GGPoker permanently banned the account for violating its RTA policy—a decision the player continues to dispute.

Many players assume that only running solver software during a hand is prohibited.

GGPoker's rules are significantly broader.

Under the site's policy, Real-Time Assistance includes any external resource that influences decision-making while a hand is in progress. This can include:

• Solver software
• Decision-support programs
• Strategy websites
• Poker applications
• Printed or digital notes
• Preflop or postflop charts consulted during play

Importantly, these tools are not banned altogether.

Studying with software such as GTO Wizard, PioSolver, or similar analysis tools remains perfectly acceptable away from the tables. The restriction applies only when those resources are available or consulted during active play.

This naturally raises another difficult question: if a player has thoroughly memorized solver strategies through study, can that performance always be distinguished from someone receiving real-time assistance?

This remains one of the most controversial aspects of the discussion.

There is currently no public evidence that GGPoker specifically targets winning players for investigations. However, many of the recently publicized cases involve mid- and high-stakes regulars.

There are several possible explanations.

Professional players simply generate far more hands than recreational users, making it statistically more likely that unusual patterns will be detected and reviewed.

Some community members also argue that cheating is more likely to be investigated when it has a measurable impact on the poker ecosystem, meaning successful players naturally receive greater scrutiny.

Others have gone further, suggesting that RTA investigations could theoretically be used as a convenient way to remove highly skilled grinders who consistently win and reduce the overall profitability of the network.

At present, however, there is no evidence supporting that claim. Only GGPoker's security team knows exactly what factors trigger an investigation.

The debate is not only about the bans themselves, but also about how much information poker sites should reveal during security investigations.

If operators fully explain how their detection systems work, they risk giving actual cheaters valuable information about how to avoid detection.

On the other hand, providing almost no explanation may leave honest players questioning whether the process is fair when disciplinary action is taken.

Finding the right balance between transparency and effective security remains one of the biggest challenges facing online poker operators.

While no one outside GGPoker knows exactly what triggers a security review, professionals can reduce unnecessary risk by following a few simple precautions:

• Close all study software before opening poker tables.
• Make sure no range charts or strategy PDFs remain open.
• Avoid playing through a VPN unless explicitly permitted.

Based on publicly available information, several facts are clear:

• GGPoker prohibits all forms of external decision assistance during live play, including preflop and postflop charts.
• The operator reserves the right to investigate accounts and permanently ban players found to have violated its security policies.
• Multiple similar reports from players have appeared recently on poker forums and Reddit.

What remains unknown is whether any of these individual cases were handled correctly—or whether they represent the beginning of a broader enforcement campaign.

Until GGPoker comments publicly or releases additional information, those questions remain unanswered.