PokerStars bans using of Sharkscope!

• Author: Qid
• Filed under: High Stakes News, Online poker, Poker, poker strategy
• Date: Nov 5,2008

Sharkscope has a database of over 178 million sit & go tournaments from across the major poker networks. Sharkscope has added to a list of banned programs that include other programs like Poker Edge, Online Holdem Inspector, Sixth Sense, Holdem Hawk, Poker Crusher, SpadeEye and TheCashDB.

PokerStars is the biggest source of sit & go tournament data of Sharkscope, with over 62 million sit & go tournaments in the database of Sharkscope came from PokerStars. The ban will then affect severely the whole business idea of Sharkscope, as almost 1/3 of the data is from PokerStars.

Poker News Daily writes that SharkScope is in violation of PokerStars’ decree that “Any program that works off of a central database of player profiles or hands played is prohibited.” In addition, programs that play “without human intervention,” involve the “practice of datamining,” or “offer direct game play advice on the appropriate action to take” are also strictly against PokerStars’ Terms of Service.

There are still lots of programs that are listed as permitted programs at the website of PokerStars, that include programs like Calculatem Pro, Holdem Genius, ThePokerDB, Omaha Indicator, Pokerbility, PokerGrapher, Poker Office, Poker Stove, Holdem Manager, PokerTracker and Poker Wingman.

Sharkscope is currently focused on tracking sit & go tournaments, but is intending to start tracking also cash games. The ban of PokerStars could hasten the opening of a service that support also cash games.

Source: Poker News Daily