World Series of Poker Bans A.I. & Human Help During Play

• A scandal over last year’s World Series of Poker champion briefly consulting a laptop has forced a rule change
• The tournament, which began Tuesday, now bans all electronic assistance and coaching during game play

A scandal has forced the World Series of Poker’s (WSOP) hand, and its 56th tournament began Tuesday at the Horseshoe and Paris under a new set of rules.

Last year’s series will be remembered less for poker pro Jonathan Tamayo’s Main Event victory than his peeking at a laptop brought by one of his coaches to the final table against amateur Jordan Griff.

The scandal it sparked was dubbed “Laptopgate” by social media. And because of it, all electronic poker information tools, as well as coaching, are permanently banned during WSOP play.

Gaming the System

AI-powered simulations (sims) analyze recent hands and, employing mathematical strategy, suggest the best possible next move.

Receiving coaching between hands at the rails was also not previously frowned upon.

“We never really had an issue … because everybody had access to the same tools, and so we kind of felt like it was a fair playing field,” Jack Effel, senior VP of poker operations for the WSOP and Caesars Entertainment, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

In light of the situation, it’s probably not in the best spirit to allow these types of sophisticated tools on the tournament floor when you’re competing for millions of dollars on the world stage. The spirit of the competition is we want an environment where poker players can compete at the highest level with the utmost integrity.”

Now, WSOP’s Rule 64d states: “Participants and spectators are not allowed to use charts, apps, artificial intelligence or any other form of electronic assistance in the tournament room that could give a Participant an advantage over another Participant.”

It adds: “Spectators are also prohibited from providing live real-time assistance or coaching through direct (speaking) or indirect (text, e-mail, through any electronic device, etc.) communication to an active Participant in any WSOP event.”

This year’s Main Event opens July 2 with the final table expected to begin July 15 on PokerGO.