5.6. AUTOMATIC PLAYERS (BOTS). The use of artificial intelligence including, without limitation, “robots” is strictly forbidden in connection with the Service. All actions taken in relation to the Service by a User must be executed personally by players through the user interface accessible by use of the Software.
The first long list is about programs that are allowed, btw.
But I guess I should have been been more specific that I was talking in the context of “bot-like” programs, and what I said is completely accurate in such a context.
Of course additionally e.g. programs that show your cards to your friends are forbidden. And utilizing large centralized databases is forbidden. But programs that do such things are not “bot-like”.
EDIT: Ok, actually I am wrong. They go further in banning “bot-like” programs than I described here. I knew that the multi-purpose “poker analytics suites” that people like me widely use are allowed, and that real bots are forbidden, but I was mistaken where exactly they draw the line between these types of programs, since I hadn’t really looked into such.
(EDIT: I am mistaken in what I state in this comment. See comments below for correction.)
Essentially the deciding factor whether an assistant program is allowed is whether the program does the mouse-clicking for you.
Quoting from the Terms of Service of the biggest poker site:
5.6. AUTOMATIC PLAYERS (BOTS). The use of artificial intelligence including, without limitation, “robots” is strictly forbidden in connection with the Service. All actions taken in relation to the Service by a User must be executed personally by players through the user interface accessible by use of the Software.
That was a pretty remarkable example of selective quotation.
Immediately above the paragraph you quoted was a link to this FAQ. Note the long list of software products which they say you are forbidden to use.
The first long list is about programs that are allowed, btw.
But I guess I should have been been more specific that I was talking in the context of “bot-like” programs, and what I said is completely accurate in such a context.
Of course additionally e.g. programs that show your cards to your friends are forbidden. And utilizing large centralized databases is forbidden. But programs that do such things are not “bot-like”.
EDIT: Ok, actually I am wrong. They go further in banning “bot-like” programs than I described here. I knew that the multi-purpose “poker analytics suites” that people like me widely use are allowed, and that real bots are forbidden, but I was mistaken where exactly they draw the line between these types of programs, since I hadn’t really looked into such.