home | about us | contact | site map | credits | disclaimer | bookmark

The Kahnawake Gambling Commission whitewash of Absolute Poker


Thursday, January 17, 2008

The Kahnawake Gambling Commission whitewash of Absolute Poker


For anyone unfamiliar with this matter: Absolute Poker, servers located, like many rogue operations, within the Mohawk Kahnawake territory, was caught in a cheating scandal in which hackers were able to read opponents' hole cards and gain an insurmountable advantage. The matter was commented on at length in the Two Plus Two poker forums.

The Kahnawake Gambling Commission, who were looking to get their operations sanctioned by the UK Gambling Commission, saw an opportunity for some good press and decided to actually investigate. This was not before Absolute Poker had deleted all the relevant game logs in a bid to muddy the waters.

One assumed the audit, like all other Kahnawake action to date, would be a useless whitewash. One was not disappointed. Here is the report.

Kahnawake Gambling Commission report on Absolute Poker incident


In the matter of Absolute Poker
Investigation regarding complaints of cheating

Decision

The Kahnawá:ke Gaming Commission (the "Commission") first received complaints concerning this matter on or about October 16th 2007. The essence of the complaints was that one or more persons associated with Absolute Poker ("AP"), while participating in live poker games with players, had been using software that enabled that person or those persons to see the "hole cards" of each of the other players. For the purposes of this decision, the aforementioned activity, and activities necessarily incidental thereto, will be referred to as the "impugned activities".

As a result of the received complaints, the Commission initiated an investigation into AP's operations. The scope of the investigation was broadly defined with the objective of determining whether the impugned activities had occurred and, if so:

• All the facts and circumstances related thereto;

• Whether affected players had been reimbursed for any losses that resulted from the impugned activities;

• Whether AP had breached one or more of the Commission's Regulations concerning Interactive Gaming (the "Regulations") and, if so, the appropriate sanctions that should be applied.

• The appropriate measures that should be implemented to ensure that the impugned activities - or any other improprieties - would not be repeated.

On October 17th 2007, the Commission mandated its approved agent, Gaming Associates, to carry out the necessary inquiries, audits and reviews of AP's systems and personnel. Over the course of approximately 10 weeks Gaming Associates fulfilled its mandate and obtained extensive information from AP's operations in various locations around the world; which it has provided to the commission. Based on this information, the Commission makes the following findings of fact:

1. That commencing on August 14 2007 and thereafter for a period of approximately six weeks, the accounts listed below were used to compromise AP's system by participating in live poker games with players using software that enabled the viewing of the "hole cards" of each of the other players, resulting in unfair play. The Commission has identified the person(s) responsible for the impugned activities and has directed that AP take action to have these person(s) removed from playing any role in AP 'mind and management' and/or operations, and to provide proof, acceptable to the Commission, that this has been done.

GRAYCAT
PAYUP
STEAMROLLER
POTRIPPER
XXCASHMONEYXX also known as SUPERCARD M55
DOUBLEDRAG
RONFALDOXXB also known as ROMNALDO

2. That subsequent to the impugned activities taking place, person(s) associated with AP's operations deleted certain gaming logs and records which had the effect of hampering the Commission's investigation – but which did not prevent the commission from obtaining sufficient information on which to base finding number 1. Except with respect to these actions, the Commission is satisfied with the level of cooperation provided by AP management and staff throughout the investigation.

3. That there is no evidence to indicate that the impugned activities were authorised or sanctioned by AP as a corporate entity – either through its Board of Directors or its principal ownership. There is no evidence that the impugned activities benefited, or were intended to benefit, AP as a corporate entity.

4. That the principles of AP failed to contact the Commission within 24 hours after they became aware the impugned activities had occurred.

5. That shortly after the impugned activities became publicly known, AP made expeditious efforts to appropriately reimburse all players who had participated in games in which the impugned activities had occurred, with interest. The Commission is satisfied that affected players have been appropriately reimbursed. However, if any player provides the Commission the evidence that he or she participated in a game in which the impugned activity occurred, and that such player has not been appropriately reimbursed, the Commission will direct AP to appropriately reimburse that player. To be considered, any such complaints from players must be received by the Commission within sixty days of the date of this decision.

6. That AP has taken the appropriate actions to address the vulnerability in its systems that allowed the impugned activities to occur and to prevent its systems from being compromised again by the impugned activities.

In view of these findings of fact, the Commission finds that AP has breached the following sections of the Commission's regulations:

261. A person must not, in relation to an authorised game, dishonestly obtain a benefit by any act, practice or scheme or otherwise dishonestly obtain a benefit through the use of any device, equipment or software.

270. In the event of an Authorised Client Provider, Approved Agent or any other employee or agent of the commission becomes aware, or reasonably suspects that

a) a person, by dishonest or unlawful act affecting the conduct or play of an authorised game, has obtained a benefit for the person or another person; or

b) there has been an unlawful act affecting the conduct or playing of an authorised game;

within twenty four (24) hours of becoming aware of, or suspecting, the dishonest or unlawful act, the person who becomes aware must give the Commission a written notice advising the Commission of all the facts known about the matter.

245. Unless the information previously contained in the gaming record is kept in another way under an approval of the Commission, an Authorised Client Provider must keep a gaming record for five years after the end of the transaction to which the record relates.

275. A person must not obstruct an Inspector in the exercise of a power or someone helping an inspector in the exercise of a power.

As a result of its breaches of its Regulations, the Commission hereby imposes on AP the following sanctions:

1. The Client Provider Authorisation ("CPA") held by AP is hereby amended to include the following conditions:

(a) All aspects of AP's operation will be subject to random audits of logs and records, conducted by the Commission or its approved agents, over the next two years – the costs of which will be paid by AP. If, as a result of these random audits, the Commission is provided with information indicating that AP has breached any provision of the Kahnawá:ke Gaming Law, the Regulations, the conditions attached to its CPA or any other directions of the Commission, AP's CPA may be suspended or revoked in accordance with the procedures set out in the Regulations.

(b) AP must immediately implement a continuous compliance program, and other related remedial measures, as directed by the Commission.

(c) Those person(s) responsible for the impugned activities to be permanently removed from playing any role in AP ‘Mind and Management’ and/or operations and proof, satisfactory to Commission, that this has been done.

2. Fine the amount of US $500,000 payable in full within 60 days.

3. Posting of a security deposit of such type and amount that is acceptable to the Commission to be held by the Commission for two years, or such other period of time that the Commission deems necessary, to be used to off-set the cost associated with any future breaches of the Kahnawake Gaming Law, the Regulations, the conditions attached to its CPA or any other directions of the Commission.

4. AP to pay to the Commission all costs associated with the Commission's investigation into this matter, including costs related to the audit conducted by Gaming Associates and any follow-up matters. These costs include any ongoing work that must be performed as a result of the audit and the decision.

ISSUED within the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake, this 11th day of TsoThohrkowa January, 2008.

KAHNAWÁ:KE GAMING COMMISSION


1) The people responsible have not been named, irrespective of the fact that Kahnawake know who they are. There is to be no criminal prosecution of these people.

2) Absolute Poker has received the sum total of a fine of GBP £250,000. In spite of the most blatant act of cheating their players, Kahnawake has not pulled Absolute's license, in addition to not recommending criminal action. Absolute Poker continues to happily reside on the Kahnawake servers.

3) Kahnawake has required that Absolute Poker "not do this again". People may remember the Golden Palace olympic sabotage events of a couple of years ago, after the first one of which Kahnawake also required that GP "not do it again"; GP did do it again - and Kahnawake did nothing. One can reasonably assume that if Absolute repeat this, Kahnawake will likewise do nothing.



2 Previous Comments


i was just playing on carbon and accused one of the players of being a rigged company bot.

first they disconnected me.

then they dealt me great cards, i went all in, the rigged player called with much weaker cards and flopped trips with his 8.

thy know i know so they dont care how blatent they are. play with my account and really see how bad they can get.

carbon when i deposited didnt let me play for 2 weeks. when they did i tried to withdraw only t find out i cudnt do so electronically any more.

so so rigged.

By Blogger common terry, at 4:09 am  


See Michael Shakelford's Absolute Poker warning, also from January 2008.

By Blogger 100% Gambler, at 2:59 pm  


Post a Comment


May 2005 | June 2005 | July 2005 | September 2005 | October 2005 | November 2005 | December 2005 | January 2006 | February 2006 | March 2006 | April 2006 | May 2006 | August 2006 | October 2006 | January 2007 | February 2007 | March 2007 | May 2007 | June 2007 | July 2007 | January 2008 | February 2008 | March 2008 | April 2008 | June 2008 | July 2008 | September 2008 | October 2008 | December 2008 | January 2009 | February 2009 | March 2009 | May 2009 | June 2009 | July 2009 | August 2009 | September 2009 | October 2009 | November 2009 | December 2009 | January 2010 | February 2010 | March 2010 | April 2010 | May 2010 | June 2010 | July 2010 | August 2010 | October 2010 | November 2010 | December 2010 | January 2011 | February 2011 | March 2011 | April 2011 | May 2011 | June 2011 | July 2011 | August 2011 | September 2011 | December 2011 | February 2012 | May 2012 | July 2012 | August 2012 | March 2016 | April 2016 | June 2016 | November 2016 | December 2016 | March 2017 | May 2017 | June 2017 | August 2017 | August 2021 | October 2021 | May 2022 | December 2023 | May 2024 | Atom feed
© 2005 hundred percent gambling

ONLINE CASINO NEWS

• Online casino news

2023

• Turbo-charged blackjack practice game

2022

• Another hack resolved

2021

• Contact email change
• 16 years and counting

2016

• Can't split 10s?
• Overbetting
• EV charts
• The IPCA
• Basic strategy master
• Back to the future
• Site hack

2015

• Better comp value
• Pit bosses are a pest
• 32Red buys Roxy Palace
• Winneronline is gone
• Paradise Win Casino
• Blackjack simple strategy

2014

• Court refuses Ivey winnings
• Phil Ivey versus Crockfords
• 32Red does the right thing
• Wizard Of Odds sold
• Gambling addict sues Ritz
• Better blackjack conditions
• FL: the beat goes on
• Phil Ivey and the Borgata
• LadbrokesFOBT profit
• Chat with the Met
• "Bonus abuse" and the Met
• Casino industry crooks.
• Debate to curb the FOBTs
• Labour idea to ban FOBTs

2013

• Ruby Fortune: terms buried
• Royal Vegas: bad outcome
• Russia illegalises gambling
• RV: player breaks no rules
• Gib casinos and UK laws
• The GGC (GRA) useless
• BetFred rigged games 9
• BetFred rigged games 8
• Betfred rigged games 7
• BetFred rigged games 6
• BetFred rigged games 5
• BetFred rigged games 4
• Phil Ivey: is he entitled?
• BetFred rigged games 3
• Betfred rigged games 2
• BetFred: rigged games 1
•  UK GLA Act 2013
• 888.com and Facebook
• Crockfords denies Phil Ivey
• Bad dealers
• Betfair Blackjack test
• Playtech software update
• Cheap blackjack
• Hippodrome Casino

2012

• The UK's FOBT addiction
• Conan Casino beware
• Intercasino misleading
• Fortune Lounge
• UK Gambling Commission

2011

• Small Claims Court
• Gamcare
• Full Tilt Poker saved
• Full Tilt ponzi scheme
• Casino Barcelona
• Irakli Kacharava
• Betfair processor no pay
• Full Tilt licensing meeting
• UK Gambling Commission
• Full Tilt Poker investors
• Full Tilt license suspended
• Twitter
• Betfair resolution
• Casino Web Scripts 2
• 32Red bonus marketing
• Casino Web Scripts 1
• Poker domains seized
• eCOGRA independent?
• Easystreet Sports theft
• Betfair to Gibraltar
• Rigged blackjack 2
• Betfair responses
• Rigged blackjack
• 888.com theft
• Betfair poker problem
• UK gambling controls
• Harry Reid

2010

• eWallet Xpress
• Kevin Stillmock
• Blog back up
• Betfair happy hour
• Ladbrokes bonus increase
• Absolute Poker tricks US
• Absolute Poker rigged
• Last position no difference
• Basic strategy simplified
• Online casino bonuses
• Righthaven LLC
• Ladbrokes bonus rules
• Malta LGA nonsense
• Purple Lounge theft
• UK affiliates issue
• Online casino problems
• GPWA code of conduct
• One Club Casino problems
• Rushmore theft resolved
• Realtime Gaming cheats
• Absolute Poker Ultimate Bet
• Rushmore Casino theft
• Ask gamblers service
• Intercasino bonus terms
• Profitting from poverty
• Gambling dooms UK to ruin
• Want To Stop Gambling
• Gambling Therapy
• Gordon Moody Association
• Breakeven
• Online gambling jobs
• Gamblock
• Gamble Aware
• Gamblers Anonymous
• Gamcare
• Video poker auto hold
• Gambling Wages help offer
• Blackjack double down
• Intercasino rules
• Tradition Casino warning
• Tradition Casino problem
• Be The Dealer
• eCOGRA approved casinos
• UK underage gambling
• iGaming Super Show
• eCOGRA reputable portals
• eCOGRA exposed
• Slots Oasis warning
• Slots Oasis problem
• HR 2267 comments
• HR 2267 proposed bill
• Search fully functional
• Gambling hearing delayed
• Betfair download blackjack
• Betfair blackjack
• The Federal Wie Act
• Casino Rewards warning
• Kahnawake dumps GP
• GP dumps Microgaming
• UK online gambling
• Gambling checklist
• Online casino problems
• Gambling Grumbles
• Casino Rewards
• Brian Cullingworth
• Casino Wager Tracker
• Grand Prive affiliates
• Jackpots Heaven Casino
• Kahnawake commission
• UK gambling problem
• eCOGRA and Grand Prive
• Bet365 misleading bonus
• Mastercard and Visa
• Online gambling rules
• 32Red sign up bonus
• Ladbrokes data theft
• Ladbrokes unfair settlement
• Palace group bonus rules
• Grand Prive and eCOGRA

2009

• Blackjack in the UK
• Seminole Hard Rock
• The APCW and MG
• Sportsbook.com
• Slot beaters slot strategy
• Rushmore Casino theft
• Paddy Power affiliates
• Slots
• 888.com problem
• The UIGEA
• Neteller contest winner
• 888.com bonus problem
• Casino Club meeting
• Online casino directory
• 32Red debit card bonus
• Blue Square Casino
• Budapest Affiliate Expo
• Rushmore payment issues
• Modern Blackjack volume 1
• Eurolinx certain insolvency
• Buzzluck winnings theft
• PaddyPower removed
• 32Red lawsuit
• William Hill Casino Club
• Betfair video poker
• APCW underage children
• Odds page updates
• VP Genius
• Video poker page updates
• Blackjack page updates
• Progression page updates
• Single deck page updates
• Betfair Playtech license
• Cherry Red Casino
• Online gambling debate
• William Hill & Teddy Sagi
• Rogue casinos section
• Pontoon correction
• Microgaming poker scandal
• Casino Club confiscation
• Casino Club steals €8000
• Villa Fortuna Casino
• Grand Prive affiliate issue
• CAP and Cardspike 2
• Virgin Casino bad results
• CAP and Cardspike 1

2008

• iNetbet removal from site
• Mario Galea and Malta LGA
• Cold Mountain Resort
• The AGCC
• Moneybookers privacy
• Virtual Casino rebranding
• Captain Jack Casino
• Royal Ace Casino
• Ringmaster Casino
• Catseye Casino
• Lucky Palm Casino
• Pharaohs Gold Casino
• Goldstream Casino
• Plantet 7 Casino
• Betfair bonus confiscation
• Malta LGA worthless
• The GIA
• Interwetten theft of £5000
• Lucky Ace winnings stolen
• The KGC and Absolute

2007

• HippoJo Casino
• Microgaming All Aces VP
• Neteller issues
• Lou Fabiano responds
• Lou Fabiano selling stats
• Betfair Zero Lounge
• ICE 2007 brief visit
• RTG cancels ICE visit

2006

• Crystal Palace Casino theft
• eCOGRA & Jackpot Factory
• English Harbour cheating
• Boss Media single deck
• Bella Vegas / Grand Prive
• The KGC worthless
• Gambling Federation
• Playtech sued
• Meeting Andrew Beveridge
• Playtech confirmed listing
• African Palace Casino
• G-Fed ICE discussion
• Playtech ICE meeting
• Playtech issues escalation
• Chartwell hands off

2005

• Crystal Gaming silence
• Price Waterhouse Cooper
• Crystal Gaming flotation 2
• Vegas Frontier
• Crystal Gaming flotation 1
• Playtech public listing
• African Palace & Indio
• Kiwi Casino
• Rochester Casino
• G-Fed theft 2
• Warren Cloud best avoided
• Golden Palace stupidity 3
• Golden Palace stupidity 2
• G-Fed theft 1
• Golden Palace stupidity 1
• Russia online expansion
• Wan Doy Pairs Poker
• Microgaming CPU usage
• Net Entertainment RNG
• Cryptologic & William Hill
• Casino growth slow
• English Harbour paying
• Fraudster or not
• Blackjack surrender
• Integrity casino group audit