Cheating in poker is the worst thing in the game.
It doesn’t just steal money from honest players, it undermines wider confidence in the game itself. For poker to continue to grow and flourish, new and prospective players need to know they’re getting the same, fair chance to win as everyone else.
There are already enough ‘poker is rigged’ believers out there who consider getting their aces cracked twice in a night is proof of some grand conspiracy — the last thing poker needs is cases of real-time assistance (RTA), collusion and other banned behaviors to add fuel to the fire.
It’s the reason good operators invest in security and game integrity departments, and thanks to developments in technology over the 25+ years that online poker has existed, the process of investigating suspect behavior has become ever more advanced.
While specific details are rarely shared, operators do occasionally confirm bans publicly, with GGPoker announcing earlier this year that players banned from the site would also be banned from the WSOP.
But can leopards change their spots? Do banned players deserve a chance to mend their ways?
GGPoker believes so, which is why the global operator is once again opening the door for previously banned players to have their cases reviewed, creating a potential path back to playing on the world’s largest online poker site.
High roller phenom Fedor Holz currently serves as GGPoker's Integrity Ambassador. Window for review closes on October 1
The Olive Branch initiative allows banned players to make their case before the deadline of October 1. Applicants need to email GGPoker’s security department with the following information:
- Full name and GGPoker username
- Recent proof of identity and address
- A selfie holding the above proof of identity
- A detailed explanation of why they’re requesting a review
Applications received before the deadline will be reviewed, and applicants notified regarding the results, by November 1. GGPoker has made it clear that reinstatement is not guaranteed.
The September window is not the first time GGPoker has offered a route back for excluded players, following similar initiatives in 2020 and 2022. The results of those processes are not publicly available.
It’s not unheard of for bans to be doled out that were not fully deserved — according to many of the players affected, at least — and bans that were ‘issued in error’ is one of the reasons GGPoker is inviting players to come forward, alongside players who feel they ‘deserve a second chance’.
Is this an admirable move that offers unfairly penalized players an opportunity to have their cases reviewed? Can those found to have broken the rules be rehabilitated? Or does allowing transgressors back into the fold undermine GGPoker’s stated commitment to security and fair play?
Let us know what you think in the comments below.
