888poker takes a stand against unfair play with record $287k refund to players

888poker, the poker subsidiary of 888 Holdings, have made headlines by refunding a record amount to players in 2022. The money was recovered from accounts that 888poker say violated their fair play policy, which states that if players are discovered engaging in unethical gameplay or violating the explicit or implicit game rules, their prizes can be seized, their membership will be terminated, and they may be permanently prohibited from accessing 888poker in the future. 

As reported by iGB, an average amount of $42 was returned to 6,801 players. This represents a significant increase of 32% from 2021, bringing the total amount refunded to players to $287,292 (£239,300/€269,998). 

The company has spent the last few years increasing its investment in detection capability harnessing the use of new technology. Fighting fire with fire, 888poker used artificial intelligence (AI) to detect accounts that were using Real Time Advisors (RTA) and bots. The company also enlisted the help of professional poker players and data scientists in their quest to ensure fair play and protection from fraud for their customers. In addition to bots and RTA, 888poker were able to identify instances of players colluding with each other in order to obtain an unfair advantage. 

Speaking of the company’s commitment to responsible gaming practices and its games integrity review initiative, Matan Krakow, Head of Poker at 888poker, said “We take the issue of integrity very seriously… Our hard work and dedication have allowed us to provide our customers with a fair, safe and entertaining gaming experience.”

As the world of online poker continues to evolve, and the use of AI increases by both players and providers, 888poker have positioned themselves as industry leaders in their commitment to maintain game integrity.