888poker Bans SharkScope

Friday June 28,2013 : DATAMINING SITE BANNED BY 888POKER
 
Ban based on protecting the recreational player
 
Online poker operator 888Poker, which this week became the fourth largest global internet poker network, has banned the use of SharkScope datamining activity from its venues, denying it access to player data from 888 tables.
 
The ban ends a relationship which SharkScope claims has existed for some time, and has been imposed despite an offer by the dataminer to access only player data on players who have opted in.
 
In a posting on the twoplustwo forum, a 888Poker representative advised that the company “…does not give permission for any data mining sites to access our poker room, and we actively enforce this policy. Data mining is a violation of our EULA (End User License Agreement) and copyright law.”
 
The company said that it was motivated by a desire to protect its recreational players from more experienced players using data from SharkScope against them, and that it sought to protect what it called "game integrity" by putting a stop to dataminers gathering player information and selling it to third parties.
 
SharkScope is trying to drum up support among players by urging them to email 888Poker with their views on the issue, but its chances of bringing about a change of position at 888 do not appear to be very good.
 
This is not the first major network with which SharkScope has clashed – it was forced to institute first an opt-in system and then withdraw from Pokerstars some time ago
 
The poker information portal Pokerfuse points out that SharkScope could also fall foul of the new Nevada online poker regulations, which make it unlawful to use any device that either keeps track of cards played or analyses strategy for playing or betting to be used in the game.
 
888 is in partnership with Caesars Entertainment in that jurisdiction.