Cheating in poker is a problem that exists both in the real world and online. Cheating in poker is easier to spot in the real world than online. Cheating is most commonly done by hiding cards and then swapping them for other cards to make it easier to spot.
WSOP Cheating
Several major players in the world of poker have been accused of cheating. These accusations have had a major impact on poker overall, whether they were accused in live tournaments of using real-time assistance tools online to play the system.
Multiple players have alleged that Ali Imsirovic or Daniel Schindler engaged in illegal behavior. Both of them are well-known for being able to grind the competition. While some of them have spoken out against the allegations while others remain silent.
The WSOP has taken a zero tolerance approach to cheating. This was supported by a new integrity council, led by GGPoker. It is hoped this will bring more transparency and trust to the industry.
One of the biggest cheating scandals in 2022 occurred in January when five-time bracelet winning player Jeremy Ausmus was accused to cheating after he lost out on a sixth WSOP gold bracelet. The event organizers later banned him.
A large number of poker players, including Mike Matusow weighed in on the news. Some of the players, including high-stakes shopper Daniel Schindler or Ali Imsirovic were accused of cheating.
Almost all high-rollers within the poker community are aware Ali Imsirovic is a cheater. They are largely silent, however, as they lack any concrete proof.
Alex Foxen, founder of Chip Leader Coaching, is another big name in poker. He joined the call to blacklist players accused of cheating. He also pushed to ban online players from poker sites.
Bonomo was also one of the first to speak out against Imsirovic. He called the alleged cheating a “serious matter,” but added that he would trust the source who claims to have seen it.
He also offered to take the case before arbitration if the accuser had a clear and credible basis to their claim. He declined the offer.
The cheating scandals of this year still haunt the poker community. Some of the players involved walked away from their WSOP cashes, and others were caught on camera doing things they didn’t normally do in a poker tournament.
These scandals have had a significant impact on the poker industry and many are calling for actions to be taken against those who are accused of cheating. The GGPoker-led Poker Integrity Council is trying to bring transparency and honor to the poker world, and it has called for an industrywide blacklist of violators.