Casino software caught cheating

[ThePOGG]

Hey All,

I wanted to quickly alert everyone to a report on Amigotechs casino software I’ve just published - http://thepogg.com/skybook-cheating-video-poker-amigotechs-software/

After we received a complaint from a player about odd results I subjected the player’s hand history to statistical analysis. The conclusion is that there’s simply no possibility that the results they received came from a fair game (in fact from 2 separate games).

I’d also be quick to point out that this is far from the first time that Amigotechs software has been found producing non-random results.

The operators that I'm aware of using Amigotechs software are;

AmericasBookies.com
BetMania.ag
BetPhoenix.com
BetRoyal.com
BetTrojan.com
BogartCasino.com
HorizonSports.es
PlayMe247.com
PokerHost.com
SBGGlobal.eu
Skybook.ag

I’d strongly encourage any affiliate working with any of the above properties to reconsider their relationship with these operators – cheating software isn’t just bad for players, it damages the reputation of the entire industry and is bad for all of us. Any casino that has to resort to cheating players likely wouldn’t think twice about shaving affiliates.

I’ll be directly contacting as many of the affiliate partners of the above sites as we could identify over the course of today.

ThePOGG

 

[ThePOGG]

I've received an email from one of the affiliates I've contacted confirming that they're going to pull their links to PokerHost. While I don't want to post up details of the affiliate in public, I do feel it's significant to say that this person indicated that they were also having trouble getting paid by this brand. Obviously I cannot confirm this and there could be more to the issue but given the situation I feel it's relevant information.

 

[AussieDave]

I took a cruise through the T&C's at BogartCasino and found this pearler. I didn't bother going any further!

 

[ThePOGG]

To keep everything totally out in the open - the CEO of Amigotechs has got back in contact. They have stated that they tried to contact me after the last email I received (I've checked, we have no record of this email), but got no response.

They have requested a phone call to discuss this issue. While I do think discussion of the issue needs to occur, I have declined any phone call conversation. In this type of situation a written record of everything said is absolutely essential. I will be updating this thread as and when this develops, but in the name of fair representation of the situation I wanted to be open that Amigotechs are now aware and open to discussion of this issue.

It's also just been pointed out to me that despite being listed as 'Closed' here, AffCorner - the affiliate program for Skybook, where this issue occurred - are showing the AGD seal on their homepage.....

 

[muffincrumbs]

Good work Pogg thanks for taking the time to manage this. Smart move declining the call, they can type it out and let us all see it. Please do keep us updated. I am following this on GPWA also.

 

[ThePOGG]

In the name of transparency I'm publishing all communications with Amigotechs. I say this knowing full well that I don't come across in a sparkling fashion - I certainly missed a few things when preparing responses and I am unquestionably standoffish in tone - however I don't feel anything to this point undermines the fundamental issue which is the game not functioning in a fair way.

I apologise for the format, it's not the most readable. I considered editing it to make it more accessible, but came to the conclusion that any editing (other than removing personal details) was likely to detract from rather than improve the credibility of the document. If anyone requires verification of the document's authenticity I'll be happy to make screen shots or a video of accessing the relevant email chain.

http://thepogg.com/conversations-with-amigotechs/

 

[ThePOGG]

I feel it's important to state at this point that Amigotechs/Skybook are now reaching out to the player to arrange for the return of their funds.

 

[AussieDave]

I feel it's important to state at this point that Amigotechs/Skybook are now reaching out to the player to arrange for the return of their funds.

That's always a positive step forward and great news to hear.

However what about the software?
My above post for Bogart references the ability for the casino to tweak-the-games. In the context that's written, it's a worrying thought.

 

[ThePOGG]

However what about the software?
My above post for Bogart references the ability for the casino to tweak-the-games. In the context that's written, it's a worrying thought.

I'll address your post in two parts.

Firstly the Bogart term - I would immediately assume that this term is intended to allow them to change or remove games if they discovered an error that was favouring the player. Basically covering their backs in terms of saying the player has no right to challenge us if a game that was there yesterday isn't here today. However I agree it could be used to try and justify rigging games. The problem with using this term in that fashion is that they'd have to admit to altering a game in a fashion that would be widely understood and accepted by the industry and players as cheating. Saying they had a term allowing them to do this isn't going to stop the reputational fall out that will immediately occur after such an admission.

It's somewhat the same, though on a more significant level, to the terms that most casinos carry basically allowing them carte blanch to not pay players for any reason they deem appropriate. Most of the reputation conscious industry doesn't accept these terms as legitimate. They wouldn't be enforceable in most court under fair contract rules (they fail to define how the term is violated and provide one party an imbalanced level of rights).

If this term was intended to justify cheating, they wouldn't be the first to try it and they'd quickly follow the road others have into disrepute. Take the StartYourOwnCasino software (defunct for a good number of years) who used to advertise that they provide a win limiter to their clients - http://www.casinomeister.com/rogue/start-your-casino.php - or WinADay/Slotland who actively advertise that their progressive jackpot Video Poker, which pays the jackpot when a player hits a Royal Flush, doesn't conform to natural probabilities - http://thepogg.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/slotland-video-poker-jackpot.jpg - i.e. a Royal Flush won't happen as often as it would if an normal deck of cards were being dealt and as such other hands must have distorted probabilities as well. (Admittedly less people have picked up on this latter issue and there are still some prominent affiliates advertising this group.)

In short, while I don't like the term, I don't consider the term in itself to be all that much of an issue. A casino could include a term saying that if a player at any point wins more than they bet in a single round, all that player's legal possessions are transferred to the casino, it doesn't mean that anybody is going to view their actions as legal or the term as in anyway legitimate.

What about the software - There is an inevitable conclusion to this issue. Amigotechs will ultimately have to publish a statement offering whatever justification they can come up with for 2 games running on separate code malfunctioning in a very similar manner to previously detected issues. This statement will either directly or indirectly refute any accusation of cheating. Personally I don't think there is any possible plausible explanation for this situation for reasons I defined here - http://www.gpwa.org/forum/casino-software-caught-cheating-222312/p2.html#post785541 - however at that point it will be up to the reader to decide for themselves whether this issue was accidental or intentional. Personally I think I've presented enough justification for any well reasoned individual to agree with me and as such all that can be hoped is that enough credible webmasters disseminate the information and warnings, leading to fewer player being willing to play with groups using this software. By and large I would say most notable (in terms of size) communities have been very open to publishing this information, generally after asking a few probing questions or asking if the work has been peer reviewed by Michael Shackleford - but there have been a few notable less than cooperative responses or simple non-responses. The latter I've found quite disappointing in terms of who I believed these communities to be. I'm not intending to 'name and shame' these groups, though it should be obvious if they're still working with Amigotechs casinos in a few weeks time with no warnings and it will make me reconsider linking to these groups as references in the future (not that I've often referred to these site of this up to this point).

Beyond the above there is only one possible course of action and that's a full review of the casinos source code and analysis of all gaming results. There are two obstacles to me doing this;

1) I do not have the necessary skill set to review code in this fashion (I'm not by any stretch of the imagination a programmer)

and

2) Analysis of data provided by the casino/software provider requires trust that the data has not been altered. This would be a huge job that would take someone months of time to complete and I don't have that trust.

 

[ThePOGG]

I wanted to update everyone - I've now confirmed that the owner of Amigotech software has personally repaid this player's losses.

I've heard nothing further regarding the impact on other players or repayment of any affected players baring the complainant.

 

[CasinoKev]

Wow, thanks for your diligence and sticking with this. Still it's a sad reminder that we don't know what we're getting into with some of these gaming sites..

 

[AussieDave]

ThePOGG,

Thanks for taking the time to respond to my questions.

Sorry for my tardiness, in reply, of my appreciation.