Embattled ACR Poker ambassador Ebony Kenney has issued a statement on social media in response to accusations that she was using RTA software while playing the site's flagship Venom tournament.
In the statement, Kenney acknowledges having GTO Wizard open during a Venom tournament in early 2024 on ACR Poker, as shown in a video she had posted on Instagram. The footage was recorded by Eric James and posted on his Instagram channel last week. Having RTA open while playing on ACR is against its terms and conditions.
However, while Kenney acknowledged running the RTA software, she specifically denied using it during hands she was playing in the event that was also running on her computer. Instead, Kenney claims, she had been running the program to see if she had made the correct decision in an earlier hand. The controversy erupted just weeks after another ACR pro, Nacho Barbero, had also been accused of using RTA during live play.
James confirmed to PokerOrg that he had raised the alarm back in January 2024 – both with ACR Poker and another poker news site – but hadn't heard anything back from either and assumed he was overreacting. However, after seeing the Barbero controversy erupt, James decided to go public with the footage.
Ebony Kenney and Nacho Barbero have both admitted to using GTO Wizard while playing on ACR Poker.Kenney: Let me be absolutely clear
The complete text of Kenney's statement is as follows:
"I want to address the screenshot recording that's been making the rounds. This clip was posted by me more than a year ago, which was also circulated during that time. After losing a big hand, I opened GTO Wizard to run the spot while I was not in a hand.
"Let me be absolutely clear: I have not, and have never, used RTA software in real time to gain an unfair advantage while playing.
"While I do use GTO Wizard, it's rare because I don't study nearly as much as I'd like to. When I do use it, it's strictly to review past hands or run drills – never during play. I fully understand how this looks and the weight of my actions, not just as a poker player but as an ambassador for the game. I take full responsibility. I love poker with my whole heart and stand firm in doing my part to uphold the integrity of the game.
"Additionally, I know there's been speculation surrounding my recent Venom run and bounty pull. I'm more than willing to share my hand histories with anyone who wants to review them. I stand by my play and guarantee you'll find no evidence of RTA use. I remain committed to transparency and to keeping this game one we can all continue to love and respect."
ACR issues statement, Leonard responds
Shortly after Kenney posted her statement, ACR Poker also put out a statement of its own. That statement is almost identical to the one put out following Barbero's admission. It claims hands were reviewed back in 2024 and again more recently and "there was no evidence that the software was used in real-time to gain an unfair advantage."
Patrick Leonard, who investigated Barbero's hands after the fact and found no evidence of him using RTA for his own hands while playing the Venom but did find him guilty of using GTO Wizard while playing on the client, replied saying he had a list of questions that were "important" for ACR to address:
- Is checking hands in [GTO Wizard] after a hand is finished OK?
- Are preflop charts allowed?
- Do you have anything in place to stop either of the above if they are against [your terms of service]?
- What is the punishment if found guilty of either of the above?
- [Is GTO Wizard] a partner of ACR?
- If 5 is yes, do you consider them to be an undetectable and destructive threat to your site?
Feature image courtesy of Joe Giron/Triton Poker
