March 5, 2008 - Online poker rooms and casinos
have long used anti-fraud prevention and detection
techniques, whether in regards to bonus abuse, cheating bot
software or stolen credit cards. They've even gone so far to
monitor and keep a watchful eye on their players, especially
those who act erratically or not becoming of a refined and
dignified online gambler. You know....the one's that wear
their bibs and fold their napkins on their lap when sitting
at the computer.
So you get my point?
There has never been a 100% surefire way of detecting and
preventing fraud. And that's what two software developers
are aiming to do and then pitch to online gambling
operators. In a report published in the latest issue of New
Scientist Tech, two men from the University of Buffalo in
New York (where, ironically, online gambling is illegal),
are working on a high-tech software platform that creates a
"gambling DNA" for all players.
With the specific aim
of weeding out the poker bots from the real humans, the
software catalogues every move a player makes and builds a
DNA profile over time based on the collective of these
moves. I know what you're thinking. Every scenario is
different and you never act the exact same way twice.
Well, you'd be surprised just how predictable humans can be.
The thing about poker
bots is that they are even more predictable. Unless we are
talking about some serious artificial intelligence, most
poker bots are programmed to act the same way...it's all
based on the numbers. So while a poker bot may act in the
same manner as a player, the real value of this software is
that it will be able to identify if a phisher has hacked
into a players account and is "gambling on their behalf",
which is not all too uncommon. Any drastic changes in
playing behavior will automatically get red flagged and the
account will go on suspicion.
Critics of the
software, however, say it is still not a surefire way of
preventing and detecting fraud...as if there will ever be a
surefire way of doing that. Since the best poker players
actively seek to develop a persona of unpredictability - so
as not to be taken at the tables by other players - the
software could very well end up red flagging some legitimate
players and making some disgruntled customers - something
which no online casino or poker room wants.
Originally published:
March,
2008 | Categories:
Online Poker
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