A poker player caught in the act of cheating receives only a small slap on the wrist from PokerStars
A popular Twitch streamer, Felipe Carmanhani, was seen using GTO Wizard during a session on PokerStars, bringing up the window showing the software’s output during play and apparently not caring if anyone saw it. Caught in the act, he couldn’t deny it, but PokerStars’ response is what really set the poker community off.
It’s also possible Carmanhani didn’t know that viewers could see the incriminating evidence. Still, many who commented during the stream believed that he didn’t care as it was probably his normal behavior. However, after Felipe Carmanhani was outed by a viewer, PokerStars responded by handing the Brazilian a two-week ban, which sent part of Poker Twitter into a frenzy.
One person posted the obvious response. He stated, “If he did use RTA then the only acceptable outcome is permanently banned. If not, what kind of message are you sending? “
Streamer is caught straight up using RTA on @pokerstars and they’ve issued a two week ban. Two weeks. For literally cheatinghttps://t.co/4UwUFPAZ1p
— Mark Rubbathan (@Weazel_1991) December 14, 2023
The poster, Mark Rubbathan, AKA Weazel, is a well-known Twitch streamer with thousands of followers who read his posts. Of course, PokerStars leaped into action after realizing the storm that was brewing.
A short time later, PokerStars’ Director of Online Poker Experience reviewed the case and posted a protracted apology, saying the violation was worse than first thought. He reasoned that a one-off from consulting pre-flop charts or equivalent usually results in a short ban. He now agrees this was more alarming, particularly given the current concerns about using RTA during online play.
“Going forward, we will conduct a review of our internal process to ensure this does not happen again. Browsing of pre-flop charts and/or using RTA is strictly prohibited and strong action is indeed warranted. Our sincere apologies for the initial review, which was not adequate for the infraction in question and did not meet our high standards.”
It was also noted that cheating in any Twitch live stream is against the terms and conditions, with the option of a permanent ban.
Emma Rodriguez is the Proofreader at the Big Blind, with seven years of experience and five years in online gambling. She plays a crucial role in maintaining content quality by ensuring error-free, reader-friendly information about the gambling industry.
