Collusion in poker: how to recognize and prevent it

What is collusion?

Collusion is a form of cheating where two or more players coordinate their actions at the table to gain an advantage over others. They may exchange information about hands, deliberately lose to each other, or use signals for cooperative play.

Why is collusion dangerous?

Collusion undermines the integrity of the game, making it unfair for other participants. It can lead to player attrition, loss of trust in the club, and financial losses.

Forms of collusion in poker:

• Information exchange – players communicate their hands to each other via messengers or other channels.

• Bet manipulation – one player intentionally raises the stakes to drive out opponents, assisting their partner.

• Pot splitting – two players avoid large hands against each other, playing the pot against third parties.

• Shill players – weak participants intentionally lose money in favor of another player.

How to detect collusion?

Detecting collusion is difficult, but advanced analytics allow it to be identified by these signs:

• Frequent presence of the same players at the same tables.

• Suspicious gaming patterns – for instance, players never raise against each other.

• Unnatural distribution of winnings – the same player consistently wins against certain opponents.

• Analysis of bets and decisions – transfer of chips without logic or intentional folds in critical situations.

How to combat collusion?

To prevent collusion, the following methods are used:

• Analysis of player connections – the system identifies which players frequently find themselves at the same table.

• AI betting monitoring – algorithms track anomalous behavior and suspicious actions.

• Restriction on joint play – banning the frequent presence of the same players at a single table.

• Warning system – automatic notifications about possible collusion cases.

Collusion is one of the most complex forms of cheating in poker, but modern technologies, such as G3, enable the detection and prevention of such schemes, maintaining the integrity and transparency of the game.