GGPoker bans HUDs and trackers after the “superuser” scandal

In September, several high-stakes players were reportedly targeted by a "superuser": someone who could see their screens, and so their hole cards, through covert remote-access software. Poker.org reported that GGPoker, ACR Poker and CoinPoker were among the sites named, and that the compromised programs were two table managers, Jurojin and IntuitiveTables.

GGPoker says it traced the money to a crypto wallet, passed the details to Coinbase with a request to restrict the account, and reported the wallet to law enforcement.

What is banned

Any tool that runs while the GGPoker client is open. Reports name PokerTracker 4, Hold'em Manager 3, Hand2Note, DriveHUD 2, Jurojin, Intuitive Tables, Lobbyze, StarsCaption, Equilab and AutoHotkey, and the list is not complete. GGPoker used to allow tools that did not affect play; that exception is gone.

From December 1, a player running a flagged tool gets a warning inside the client and must close it. Players who ignore the warnings risk a suspension or a permanent ban. Window managers built into the operating system, such as PowerToys and Rectangle, do not count. To replace the lost table managers, GGPoker is adding its own table swapping and layout locking, rolling out between October 23 and December 1.

New security settings

A new Client Security section adds optional protection that runs only while GGPoker is open:

• Screen Guard blocks screenshots, screen recording and remote viewing of your tables.
• Connection Monitor warns you about suspicious connections, such as remote-control software.
• Allowed Processes lets you whitelist apps you trust.
• DNS Check looks for signs that your internet settings have been tampered with.

GGPoker is also adding win-rate anomaly detection. It flags players whose decisions are right far more often than an honest player could manage, a sign of real-time assistance: software that tells a player the game-theory optimal play while the hand is live. Separately, support for Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 and for macOS 11 or older ends in 2027.

Why it matters

A HUD shows numbers over each opponent's seat, such as how often they raise before the flop, built from the hands you have played against them. Regulars use HUDs to find weak players; recreational players have long argued that this tilts the game against them. GGPoker's ban removes that edge for everyone, at the cost of honest players who used trackers to review their own play.

Not everyone agrees with the approach. Jurojin called the blanket ban "heavy-handed" and asked operators to work with tool makers instead.

If you play on GGPoker and use any of these programs, close or uninstall them before December 1. GGPoker's own advice applies anywhere you play online: keep your operating system updated, scan your computer for malware, and sign in with a passkey instead of a password.

Sources: Poker.org, PokerNews, Tight Poker, Gambling.com.