GGPoker has banned all third-party poker software and automation tools from running alongside its client, including PokerTracker 4, Hand2Note, Holdem Manager 3, Jurojin and AutoHotkey. The operator announced the change on 15 October 2026 in a blog post titled “New Security Measures at GGPoker”. The same post adds optional anti-spying features to the client, a new win-rate check against cheating, and an end to support for older versions of Windows and macOS in 2027.
GGPoker, the world’s biggest poker network, says it tightened the rules “following the recent incident”. Until now it had allowed some third-party tools that did not affect play.
Which tools does GGPoker ban?
GGPoker‘s announcement lists ten programs that are now prohibited: Jurojin, PokerTracker 4, Hand2Note, Holdem Manager 3, StarsCaption, DriveHUD 2, Intuitive Tables, Lobbyze, Equilab and AutoHotkey. The post says the ban also covers other third-party poker software and automation tools, so the list is not complete. Players must close these programs fully before they open GGPoker. Minimising them is not enough.
GGPoker already banned HUDs, solvers, RTA and bots under its Security & Ecology Policy. The new part is that table managers, trackers used for study and hotkey scripts are banned too. That hits multi-tablers hardest, because many of them use Jurojin, Intuitive Tables or AutoHotkey to tile tables and bind keys.
Why did GGPoker ban third-party poker tools?
GGPoker’s post links the ban to “the recent incident” but gives no details. Poker.org reported that a “superuser” used hidden remote screen-access software to watch several high-stakes players. Poker.org named Jurojin and Intuitive Tables as the affected tools. Both developers have since told users to check their computers and said the flaws have been patched.
GGPoker says it traced the money to a crypto wallet. It asked Coinbase, where it believes the funds were deposited, to restrict the account and keep its records. It also reported the wallet addresses to law enforcement and to industry networks that track illicit funds. No recovery of funds has been announced. Jurojin told Poker.org that the blanket ban was “heavy-handed” and asked GGPoker to work with developers.
What are Screen Guard and the other new security features?
GGPoker’s new Client Security section in Game Settings has four optional features. They only run while the client is open:
- Screen Guard keeps tables and hole cards out of screenshots, recordings, screen shares and remote-viewing apps, including software the player did not install. A “Protect the whole Client” option extends this to the lobby, cashier and account pages.
- Connection Monitor warns you about apps with suspicious connections, such as remote-control tools or proxies.
- Allowed Processes lets you mark apps you trust so they don’t set off alerts.
- DNS Check looks for signs that someone has hijacked DNS on your network.
GGPoker says the features are not a replacement for antivirus software. It also recommends turning on 2FA, a passkey and a fund password.
GGPoker is also adding Win-Rate Anomaly Detection (WAD). WAD compares each decision with the cards the opponent actually held and flags accounts that make the right call far more often than honest play allows. The operator has not published its thresholds.
What does the GGPoker ban mean for players in Asia?
For GGPoker players in Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea and Japan, the most urgent step is to close any of the listed programs before logging in. Accounts can be restricted when tools are running, and the policy has always treated remote-access apps and VPNs as violations. Our guides to poker VPN bans in Asia and GGPoker account locks explain what triggers a review.
Players on older computers also have a deadline. Windows 7, 8 and 8.1, and macOS 11 Big Sur or earlier, lose support in 2027. GGPoker recommends upgrading to at least Windows 10 or macOS 12 Monterey. GGPoker’s post does not mention other GGNetwork skins such as Natural8, and the operator has not yet given a start date for the Client Security features. For how GGNetwork already handles bot cases, see our Natural8 bot detection guide.