Game Integrity Policy

The integrity of our games is of the utmost importance for us. We want to ensure that we have a safe environment for our players where we don't allow unfair advantages from users with malicious intentions.

We take it as our duty to prevent, detect and take adequate action when necessary, and we believe if the game is not fair, the poker dream we believe in would not be possible.

The Shuffle

The first step to ensure that our games are fair is to shuffle and deal the cards fairly. We use a regular 52-card deck, and the cards are shuffled once right before the start of the hand. We never shuffle the deck while the game is in progress. We utilize the Fisher-Yates Shuffle modern algorithm.

Third Party Tools

We believe that poker is at its core, a game of fun, and a game of skill. And we believe that players can improve at poker if they put mental effort into studying and practicing the game.

However, with poker exploding in popularity (particularly online) together with technological advancements and a growing computational power, plenty of tools and services that have been created to aid players to learn more about poker reached the point that can give players an unfair advantage while playing. 

For us to ensure that we offer a safe environment to our players, we take it as our duty to define where to draw the line on what is providing an unfair advantage to the player and what tools are available to allow players to gather knowledge on a fair and sustainable way. 

With that in mind, we have developed a policy that allows us to output guidelines on what we consider as permitted and prohibited. Note that our policy is not limited to the following guidelines, this serves to provide a high-level understanding of what we expect our users to follow for a healthy and fair poker environment in our poker software.

Game-state Reporters

Although we understand that there is a legitimate use for tools that detect the current state of a poker hand, there are also plenty of unfair advantages to be gained while playing by users with malicious intent. 

While we allow game-state reporters or similar tools to run in parallel with our site, these tools can't interact with our client at any time.

Trackers 

Poker tracking software can be a beneficial tool to help players analyze their gameplay and results. Providing that you don't use it in real-time with our poker client, such tools can run in conjunction with our software. (you can later retrieve your hand histories after the hand(s) have been played)

Calculators

We don't permit software or services that compute equity calculations of an advanced nature while our client is open.

Examples of prohibited tools:

• Icmizer,
• Equilab,
• Pokerstove

Game Utilities & Hotkeys

We allow programs that ease the gameplay and that differentiate between pre-flop and post-flop stages but do not reduce the requirements of a player having to make a decision, can't detect the current game-state of a hand and can't be based on player tendencies.

• We don't allow programs that go beyond easing the gameplay that simplifies the decision-making process of a player. Example: table optimizers that re-position or give focus to certain tables if you are dealt a premium hand
• We don't allow programs that are built or used with the intent to target a specific player or set of players.
• We don't allow programs that enable users to control multiple devices. Example: Mouse without borders

Bots

Usage of bots, robots, semi or fully automated software that decides on the action to take is strictly prohibited. 

We expect a human to be in control of the account and to decide what action to take, at all times.

RTA (Real Time Assistance)

The usage of tools or services that offer any sort of real time assistance regarding what action to take is strictly prohibited. This includes the usage of solvers or other tools that provide solutions in real time even if the solver input is manually handled by the user.

Other tools or services

Although not limited to it, in the following, you can read about other tools, services, or methods that we consider prohibited:

• Any tool, service, or mechanism that bypasses our queuing system is prohibited
• Any tool, service, or mechanism that contravenes the anonymity of our tables or players' identity is prohibited
• Any tool, service, or mechanism that targets specific players or a set of players is prohibited
• Data-mining is not allowed. Nor usage of mass data analysis or mass player tendencies analysis as a source of decision-making while playing
• Any tool, service, or mechanism that allows or eases hole cards sharing is prohibited
• VPNs, proxies, or any other tools that mask or spoof a user's location are prohibited while our client is open.

Our Policy Details 

While we expect our players to engage our poker software with a fair approach, not wanting to make use of unfair advantages, we still patrol the actions and interactions that players have with our poker client, and while taking action against bad actors, we are also constantly looking for new ways to improve our detection mechanisms.

A user found guilty of breaching our Terms of Service and/or our Game Integrity Policy may have his account temporarily or permanently banned.

Collusion 

Collusion in poker is when two or more players are actively working together, either in games or sharing knowledge, in order to gain an unfair advantage over other players.

This could be an advantage within the poker game itself, or an advantage as part of running a promotion (example: colluding with a friend to rake more during a rake race/leaderboard promotions).

On the contrary to what to expect from traditional poker websites we purposely designed and engineered our poker software to by default prevent or minimize the possibility of collusion.

Collusion and any efforts to bypass our collusion-preventing mechanisms are prohibited

Bots and RTA (Real Time Assistance) 

Usage of Bots (robots) and/or RTA undermines the fundamental principle of online poker, which is a game played between humans. Usage of such tools provides a clear unfair advantage over human players.

Note that we can deem the use of semi-automated or fully automated reference material retrieval tools or methods as real-time assistance.

The usage of bots or real time assistance tools or services is prohibited.

Multi-accounting or account sharing

Although our poker client was built to minimize the benefit for a player to take advantage of other players by multi-accounting or by any sort of account sharing, playing in the same cash game pool, sng pool, or the same tournament with multiple accounts simultaneously is prohibited.

 

Contact our Game Integrity team

How to contact us

This page does not list all the possible abuses and possible breaches of our Game Integrity Policy or Terms of Service, if you wish to have more information about the Security and Integrity of our poker products, or if you need further clarification on any topic, please contact our Game Integrity Team via our Live Chat.
 

How to make a report

If you suspect someone to be in breach of our Game Integrity Policy, please contact our Game Integrity team via Live Chat where we will ask you for more details according to the suspected breach.

If you prefer to report via email instead of using our live chat, please provide the following information to help us address the issue promptly:

• Username(s) of the suspected user(s): the account or accounts that you are reporting.
• Description of the incident: Detailed information about what happened, including relevant dates and times.
• Gameplay data: if possible, include information about the game type, hand IDs, and table ID or tournament ID.
• Screenshots or Evidence: Any visual proof that supports your report is greatly appreciated.

Please send this information to the following email address using your registered email:
 

• For players at BetRivers - pokerintegrity@betrivers.com

• For players at PlaySugarHouse - pokerintegrity@playsugarhouse.com

We take all reports seriously and will investigate the matter thoroughly.




 

If you need any further assistance, please contact our 24/7 poker support team at:

• For players at BetRivers - pokersupport@betrivers.com
   
• For players at PlaySugarHouse - pokersupport@playsugarhouse.com