Any pro or beginner player that is interested in playing poker wants to know, and be sure that the site they choose to play at is fair. You will be interested in knowing if there “are any online poker sites that are rigged?”. To answer this question, yes, there are poker sites that are rigged. However, if you choose to play in a poker room that is regulated and secure, then you won’t have to worry about the games being rigged.
Accusations Suggesting that Poker Sites are Rigged
When you search on the internet to find out whether online poker sites are rigged, you will often find reasons why some players make these claims. Even though this might not be the case at the poker sites that they claim to have played at. So, it is up to you to check whether the poker room is cleared of any of these accusations. However, you will find that the accusations that players make about certain poker sites are true.
Here are some of the common accusations about poker sites being rigged:
Bad Beats
There is a theory that there are a lot of more bad beats online, which indicates that the games are rigged. However, this is not the case because the games use RNG, which randomly selects the outcomes. On the internet, the gameplay is faster than when playing at a land-based casino since you don’t see the many attributes of how the RNG, you will not necessarily be able to associate anything with bad hands or a bad game session.
Cheating Players
Sometimes the same player will create multiple accounts and enter a poker room using the accounts. They will then be playing against themselves. However, this is unlikely because most poker sites verify player identity when you register an account.
Insiders
This kind of cheating is not made by the player or even the site owners but a hacker. They will try to mess with the software to make it favourable to the players so they can easily win the games.
Rigged Software
This is more directed to the site owners who would either be using software that is regulated and not licensed to be fair. The reason could be that they want to cheat players of their money, making the house win more than players. In most, such casinos will also give trouble when they have to pay out winnings.
Independent Auditors
If you want to know whether a poker site is rigged or not, check for seal of approval. If any independent auditors have evaluated the site there should be a certificate to prove it. Usually, the websites will have the certificates that show that they have been audited on the footer.
The most well-known independent auditors are e-Commerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA). They are testing agency that regulates the online gaming industry. If an online poker site has an eCOGRA seal of approval, you can be sure that the site is not rigged and it fully complies with the requirements for fair gaming.
John Ford has been writing online gambling content for over 18 years. Born and raised in the heart of the Short Pump, Virginia, John’s journey through the casino industry began on the casino floor itself. He started as a dealer in various games, including blackjack, poker, and baccarat, cultivating an understanding that only hands-on experience can provide. John’s passion for writing casino guides stems from his casino experience and his passion for helping fellow punters. His articles are more than reviews; they are narratives that guide both novices and seasoned players through the labyrinth of online casinos.
