CoinPoker Bans 98 Bots & Refunds $156,446 to Players

We like being clear. Bots, collusion, and any form of automated or unfair play have no place on CoinPoker.

Following a recent internal investigation, we permanently banned 98 bot-linked accounts and redistributed $156,446 directly back to the players who were affected.

That’s how we believe online poker should be.

Bot Ring From Another Site Exposed on X/Twitter

If you’ve been on X/Twitter lately, you already know what’s going on. Concerns around bots and collusion are everywhere, and trust in online poker is under pressure.

That discussion intensified on January 18 after poker pro Martin Zamani shared footage allegedly showing a large-scale bot farm operating on another poker platform. The video shows someone walking through rooms full of PCs and laptops, all running one to two poker games autonomously. 

Our Policy Is Simple: Ban Early, Ban Quickly

As the bot conversation heated up, we publicly reaffirmed what many of you already know.

Our approach has always been simple: Monitor. Analyze. Confirm. Ban.

As soon as we suspect accounts are using automated bots, colluding, or committing Terms and Conditions violations, we act. Waiting for problems to grow is not our style. What this game needs is online operators who react before these issues have seriously affected players. We continuously invest and then re-invest in detection tools designed to catch suspicious behavior early, before it damages the ecosystem.

Game integrity comes first. 

CoinPoker ambassador Patrick Leonard said on Twitter:

“Bots will come. It’s 2026. But we will find you, we will turn you off, and we will give the money in your accounts to the people who deserve it. Message to the bots: stick to the sites who don’t care or don’t refund.”

Bencb chimed in on Twitter, too:

“This is the kind of update I actually want to see in poker. Not PR talk – real numbers, real bans, real refunds.

98 bots gone, $156,446 redistributed back to the players who got hit.

Because “we banned them” isn’t enough… You have to fix the damage, too. And shoutout to everyone who reports this stuff – that’s how you keep the games clean.”

We hear this feedback all the time from regs and pros: CoinPoker games feel more legit and more human. That’s not an accident. It’s also why high-stakes professionals enter our World Championships and start million-dollar buy-in heads-up games on our tables.

98 Poker Bots Banned & $156K Returned to Players

After completing our investigation, we permanently banned 98 accounts linked to poker bot activity.

Here’s exactly what happened:

• All balances on those accounts were confiscated
• $156,446 is set to be redistributed directly to affected players through transfers
• 1360 players will receive funds over the coming week
• Most bots were found in cash games with buy-ins from $50 to $200

After the Twitter announcement, CoinPoker’s Head of Security pointed out:

“This is the reality that we deal with; bots are an issue that affects everyone in the industry. This is a daily fight common to all online poker sites! One of our main priorities is to ensure that any players impacted by confirmed bot accounts are compensated appropriately and proportionately to their exposure to those accounts.

Not all automated accounts are profitable (we find losing and breakeven bots as well), but our approach remains consistent. If play is determined to have compromised game integrity, we review the impact and apply paybacks where appropriate.”

A few answers to common questions:

• Unfortunately, we can’t reveal bot nicknames or specific account details. That’s standard in online poker security practice and required for data protection reasons.
• We also can’t reveal exactly how these players were caught. That would be like giving a thief tips on how to get away cleanly during their next robbery. 
• Bots are an industry-wide problem. They exist everywhere. Our job is to find them, turn them off, and refund players.

Paybacks are processed proportionally, based on what players actually lost versus the bots. Stakes and rake are also taken into account.

Not all bots are winners. We regularly catch losing and breakeven bots as well, and in those cases, we still refund player losses proportionally.

When unfairly generated money enters the ecosystem, it doesn’t belong there. It belongs with the players who earned it honestly.

Not the First Time, Nor the Last

Cheaters have always threatened poker, and that isn’t likely to change. Platforms need to be aware of current threats, and ready for future ones.

This crackdown and refund wasn’t triggered by external tweets or recent drama. It wasn’t for internet kudos or retweets. 

Processing paybacks and catching wrongdoers is simply the right thing to do. 

How We Protect the Games Long-Term

Our security model is built around a few core principles:

• Immediate action when serious suspicion arises
• Rapid bans for bots, RTA, and collusion
• Confiscation of illicit balances
• Direct redistribution to affected players
• Continuous upgrades to detection tools
• Zero tolerance approach to cheating 

This isn’t a one-off response. It’s how we operate.

Raising the Bar for Online Poker

At a time when the poker industry is dealing with new threats, operators have a responsibility to do better. CoinPoker doesn’t watch from the sidelines in this fight. That isn’t how to earn trust.

We’ll keep acting fast, communicating openly with you, and putting CoinPoker players first. Players want fair games, and that’s the only kind of games we want to offer. 

If you ever suspect unfair play in any poker games, please contact CoinPoker Support. Our security team will review your message and keep in touch throughout the investigation. Every report is taken seriously, as you’d expect.