GGPoker EXPLOITATION RULES

EXPLOITATION RULES of GGPoker

Updated: Jan. 25, 2024

GGPoker recognizes that providing a safe, fair and friendly gaming environment is key to ensuring that our players have the most enjoyable gaming experience possible every time they log on to its platform.

Maintaining ethical gaming practices is central to our priorities, and to uphold these strict principles and the integrity of our games, GGPoker has created these house rules.

All players are expected to abide by these House Rules and the standards, policies and practices contained therein, on the assumption that this will improve the playing environment on GGPoker for the entire player community:

Prohibited for minors policy

The GGPoker platform and all services made available through it may only be accessed by players who are adults (as determined by the laws of the respective jurisdictions in which GGPoker operates and applicable to players).

Minors (persons under the age of 18) are strictly prohibited from playing at GGPoker and minors who have gained access to GGPoker will be permanently banned from membership on GGPoker's gaming platform. GGPoker will ensure that appropriate safeguards are implemented as required by the laws of the respective jurisdictions to deter minors from joining GGPoker's gaming platform.

Responsible gambling

GGPoker strives to provide players with a responsible gaming environment that prevents compulsive use, and use by minors. GGPoker understands and endeavors to fulfill its duty of care to all its customers and the player community at large. GGPoker ensures that appropriate measures are taken to protect vulnerable persons and uses all reasonable means to prevent gambling addiction and underage gaming.

For more information, visit our Responsible Gambling page.

Anti-money laundering

GGPoker ensures a high level of regulatory compliance with a view to preventing its services from being associated with crime and disorder. GGPoker takes appropriate measures to minimize the risk of the gaming platform being used to launder money, assist in the financing of terrorism or become a victim of crime. GGPoker ensures that management and staff are aware of their legal obligations and procedures to be followed.

Restricted countries

Due to the many different gaming laws related to online poker and the risks associated with political instability and terror threats, GGPoker.nl only accepts players who are located in the Netherlands or are habitual residents.

Screen Name Policy

Common sense dictates that screen names should not be offensive to other users. Please also refer to section '21. Offensive User Profile' in our Safety & Ecology Policy for additional information.

Screen names already chosen by users will not be changed except in exceptional circumstances. For example, in the case where you are constantly being bumped, after your playing activity has been investigated by GGPoker Security, you may request a new screen name. Additionally, you may choose to play under your real name. You can request this by sending the necessary documents to GGPoker security.

Multi-Hand Policy

On GGPoker, players can play at multiple tables or in multiple games simultaneously. The maximum number of tables a player can participate in or games a player can participate in is limited by the GGPoker software they are using (such as desktops, mobile devices, Internet browsers, etc.).

Policy for Blind bets at cash tables

A player joining a GGPoker cash table must usually pay an initial fee equal to the bet of the low limit at the table, or the small blind. This initial fee follows the same rules as blind bets (initial mandatory bets, usually placed in the pot by the first two players to the left of the dealer in games of Hold'em and Omaha poker) and allows the new player to sit at the table and participate in the game.

Players sometimes have the option of "sitting-out" and waiting for the big blind before starting to play.

Posting an initial fee ensures fairness for all players by preventing players from gaining an unfair advantage over others by starting a poker game in a "Late Position" and avoiding posting mandatory blind bets

Policy for missed blind bets

A player may choose to temporarily sit out at a poker table; if the table is a cash game table (as opposed to a tournament table, where the player has usually paid a fixed buy-in amount to participate), the player may have to post additional fees to rejoin the action:

If, by sitting out, a player misses their turn to bet the small blind, the player must bet an amount when sitting out again. This bet is considered a "dead (inactive) bet," and is equal to the small blind.

If a player, by sitting out, misses their turn to bet both the small and big blind, the player must bet an amount when sitting out again. This bet consists of a live bet, equal to the big blind, plus an additional "Dead (non-active) bet," equal to the small blind, which is added directly to the pot.

If, by sitting out, a player misses their turn to bet the small blind, the big blind, and the third blind (if applicable), the player must bet an amount when sitting out again. This bet consists of a live bet equal to the third blind, plus two additional "Dead (non-active) bets" equal to one small blind and one big blind, which are added directly to the pot.

Policy for Equal Hands

In the event that two or more active players reach showdown at a poker table with equal hands, the winner is determined by card value (i.e., a pair of aces beats a pair of kings).

If the poker hands remain equal (i.e. a pair of kings versus a pair of kings), the highest ranked card not held in common (the "kicker") determines the winner of the hand.

In the case of equal poker hands rankings between two or more active players, the pot (the total of chips in the middle of the table contested by the active players) will be divided equally between the players with equal poker hands.

Policy for playing time limits

To ensure a fair and enjoyable playing experience, GGPoker players must act within a reasonable time frame that varies by table, by game variant and/or by game stage (i.e. time elapsed in a given tournament,etc.).

GGPoker's time limits are enforced in an effort to maintain a reasonable speed of play. Players who fail to act within the time limit will have their hand automatically folded and lose all amounts previously wagered during that hand.

Time Bank Policy

In many GGPoker poker games, if a player needs extra time to make a decision, a "time bank" will be opened if a decision is not made in time.

Depending on the software used, the time bank is displayed visually and is "counted down" as it is opened. The time bank gives players extra time to complete their actions, and those who do not act before the time bank is exhausted automatically fold their hand.

Policy for Table Leaving

To ensure the best gaming experience for all, players may be penalized for sitting at cash game tables, playing one hand and then leaving without playing at least 10 hands. The system will rate such an action as a player refusing play at that table.

If a player refuses to play at multiple tables, he is automatically penalized by being blocked for some time from playing at tables of the same blind level. The length of this automatic blocking depends on the number of times within a 12-hour period that the player has refused to play at tables of that blind level:

1st refusal: no fine
2nd refusal: 5 minutes of blocking
3rd refusal: blocking of 15 minutes
4th refusal: blocking of 30 minutes
5th refusal: blocking of 60 minutes

If a player leaves a table where all other players are seated, or if they are the only player seated at that table, the action is not considered a refusal to play and no penalty is applied.

The policy applies to all cash game variants and tables, with the exception of Rush & Cash and All-In or Fold.

Poker Rake and Fee Policy

As a game host, GGPoker charges a commission fee (often known as "rake") for each pot at cash game tables. For more information about the rake collected at GGPoker, visit the Our Games section of the GGPoker Web site and view each game's page.

In tournaments, GGPoker does not charge rake, but instead usually charges a tournament fee. The amount is often a fixed percentage of the tournament buy-in and will be outlined for each event in the tournament lobby (e.g., as of April 2019, the total amount a player pays to participate in a $1 Omaholic tournament is $1, consisting of a $0.92 buy-in and a $0.08 tournament fee).

Table Etiquette

Normal courtesy at live poker tables is also expected at GGPoker. See the list below for GGPoker's etiquette guidelines:

Intimidation or harassment of other players at the table will not be tolerated;
Do not spam emojis or engage in "shouting matches" with other players at the table;
Lag is a natural occurrence in an Internet age. Because it is inevitable, be polite when notifying a player with lag of it.

Tournament Policy

All tournaments start promptly at the scheduled time listed in the tournament lobby. GGPoker reserves the right to postpone or cancel tournaments without notice.

Seats will be randomly assigned to players. Prizes are awarded as stated in the tournament lobby, except when a deal is made or the tournament is cancelled. The prize structure used in a given tournament depends on several factors, including the number of entrants and the number of players per table. The prizes awarded in a given tournament will not be finalized until after registration has closed and the rebuy and/or add-on period is over.

To qualify for re-entry, rebuy or add-on in a re-entry or rebuy tournament, you must have the money available in your account.

Late registration is available in most tournaments. The length of the late registration period varies, but will always be shown in the tournament lobby. Late registration will close early when enough players have been eliminated to begin payouts or the tournament has reached the maximum number of players allowed.

Most GGPoker tournaments allow players to unsubscribe themselves up to a few minutes before the start of the event. The exact time the unsubscribe closes may vary from event to event. Sign-in and sign-out times may vary between tournaments of different types. Not all tournaments allow deregistration and some tournaments do not allow players to register if they have won their way in via satellite or giveaway tournaments. GGPoker reserves the right to change registration and deregistration times without notice.

If a tournament with late registration continues to a point where the next eliminated player receives a prize (also known as "in the money"), late registration may be closed regardless of the late registration period described in the tournament lobby. No additional players can then enter. Moreover, in such a situation, the tournament prize pool is determined solely by the amount collected through player registration, rather than an advertised guaranteed prize amount.

Tournament Elimination Policy

Most tournaments end when a single player collects all the chips in play, and in some tournaments, when all remaining players receive the same prize (for example, if a satellite tournament awards five (5) identical prizes, the tournament may end when five (5) players remain).

If two or more players are eliminated on the same hand, the player with more chips at the start of that hand will finish ahead of the player(s) with fewer chips. If all players started the hand with an identical number of chips, they receive the same final ranking and share any prizes associated with the ranking.

When players are eliminated from GGPoker tournaments, the software will "break" tables to fill available empty seats. Players are randomly re-seated which may result in a player having to place several big blinds in a row. Sometimes the GGPoker software may balance tables to ensure that all tables have an equal (or as close to equal as possible) number of active players. Players moved to balance tables will be moved to similar spots relative to the blinds, if possible.

Tournament break policy

Details of each tournament's breaks will be listed in that tournament's lobby, with the time remaining until the next break when the tournament is running.

Many tournaments have synchronized breaks, but not all, which is why GGPoker encourages players to become aware of the break times of each tournament they play in to ensure a comfortable playing environment.

Tournament disconnect and eviction policy

By participating in a tournament, GGPoker players accept the risk of Internet interruption, due to problems with the connection between their device(s) and the servers, lag or freezing or any other problem in the player's device(s) or how that device accesses the Internet.

GGPoker assumes no responsibility for disconnecting a player except in the event of a server crash. While each user is responsible for his or her own Internet connection, we make an effort to protect players who lose their connection during the final stages of a real money tournament by allowing extra time to reconnect.

If a player drops out for a while during a hand, whether connected or broken, the hand is folded when facing action and checked when no action.

If a player is not connected before a hand begins, he or she will be dealt cards and a blind and/or ante will be placed. There is no rule for players who choose to sit out; thus, players who do so will continue to post blinds and antes and be dealt cards. Two or more players may not make an agreement to sit out simultaneously, either at the same table or at different tables; such actions may fall under GGPoker's collusion policy.

Disconnected casino games

Below are the general procedures applied in case of disconnections during casino games:

If the connection is broken during an RNG casino game, the game remains paused, allowing you to continue the game from the point where the connection was broken. If the connection is broken after a bet has been settled, the RNG system completes the game. In either situation, any winnings are paid out and you can see the game outcome in the game history after reconnecting.

In case of disconnection during live casino tables, all bets placed remain valid and will be settled in your absence. After you reconnect, you can see the outcome of the game in the game history.

If the connection is disconnected during a slot game, you can resume the disrupted game at the point the connection was disconnected by logging in again and re-entering the game. Your pending bet is kept for 24 hours from the point of disconnection. The game will be completed automatically or forced completion by the system if the game is not completed within 24 hours of disconnection. Any winnings will be credited to your account.

The above procedures are general guidelines and details may vary by game and jurisdiction. For better understanding, we encourage you to open the "connection policy" in the respective game.

Poker rules

You are not allowed to place a bet higher than the value of chips on the table at the beginning of a hand. You may only purchase additional chips between hands. If you run out of chips during a hand, you are considered "all-in." you may not take money off the table during a playing session. Taking money out of play and continuing to play is not allowed in a cash game format.

Players must refrain from "table talk" or "coffee-housing" or talking during a hand in a way that endangers an opponent's hand. This applies when playing in the hand or looking at the hand. Repeated abuse of this aspect of player behavior will result in suspension or permanent restriction from play.

Coarse or offensive language or other behavior deemed by us to be inappropriate in the context of the Game will not be tolerated. Bad behavior or offensive language identified by us or brought to our attention will be dealt with promptly and may result in suspension or loss of playing privileges or such other action as may be deemed necessary by us in our sole discretion.

You fully accept and agree that the random number generator software will determine all results of casino Games.

You acknowledge and agree that you will not disrupt, interrupt and attempt to interrupt or attempt to manipulate the operation of the Website or the normal play of any of the Games in GGPoker. Failure to comply with the foregoing may result in your exclusion from the Website and in criminal and civil investigations.

Chat Policy

The company allows customers to participate in chats where they can communicate with other registered players on the site. We reserve the right to set and change the chat policy at any time with or without notice.

The chat feature is intended to be used to promote a positive gaming experience and for basic communication between players. We reserve the right to limit an individual's ability to participate in a chat based on the individual's behavior.

The company allows its customers to record and broadcast video content through the SnapCam feature, which is accessible within the GGPoker software. Broadcasting content deemed offensive by the company is not permitted, nor is using the SnapCam feature to harass other customers. Customers who abuse SnapCam will lose access to the feature and the Company may take further action if necessary, including but not limited to suspension and closure of their account. We also reserve the right to report questionable content to the relevant authorities.

All users should refrain from communications that:

Being slanderous in nature;
Are illegal, or whose users have no right to share them;
May be classified as racist, vulgar, hateful, obscene, threatening, abusive, insulting, or discriminatory;
Is intended to impersonate another person or entity;
Is uttered for the purpose of advertising;
Or contains a link to a virus, corrupted files, keyloggers or other malicious code or material that could harm a party's computer, data or financial security;
Is intended to gain an advantage or play together with/against other players on our site;
Associated with criminal activity;
Deliberately false or misleading;
Is intended to obtain personal information such as contact information and or/ real name;
Is protected by any form of intellectual property, registered or unregistered, or any contractual, legal or equitable obligation of confidentiality;
Considered "spamming" other players.

Our chat rooms are moderated and all conversations are recorded. We reserve the right to subsequently investigate user comments and take appropriate action, including but not limited to a temporary ban, permanent ban, or account closure. We also reserve the right to report suspicious chats or comments to the relevant authorities.

Policy on in-play hands

Intentionally or unintentionally influencing the progress of any hand in play, or influencing the action of participants through discussion, use of emojis or use of SnapCam, is strictly prohibited and may result in temporary or permanent suspension of all communication functions.

Policy for making tournament deals

Deal making is allowed in many tournaments. If all remaining players in a tournament agree to make a deal, they must indicate this by selecting the appropriate option at the table. A deal can then be discussed and agreed or rejected by the participating players.

Bounty Tournament Policy

In some specially designated GGPoker tournaments (e.g., starting in April 2019, in Bounty Hunter tournaments), a bounty is placed on some or all tournament participants. A player who eliminates an opponent adds the bounty amount to his own bounty total. Each surviving player's bounty total is not awarded until the prize paying final positions are reached (i.e., the bubble bursts).

In the event that two players show identical winning hands and therefore split the pot in a hand that eliminates another player(s), any bounty awarded will be divided equally between the players who have the winning hand.

Players may not make an agreement among themselves to eliminate a particular player to claim their premium awards. Such agreements are considered collusion and are grounds for disqualification from the tournament and/or other penalties.

Tournament pricing policy

GGPoker reserves the right to change (at any time) the prizes awarded in any given tournament. Further, GGPoker reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to award a cash prize of equal or greater value as the main prize instead of the main tournament prize.

Please note that players do not receive fractions of a penny. In all cases where a player's winnings include a fraction of a penny, GGPoker rounds up such player's winnings to the nearest penny. So for example, if you win $4,096, you will receive $4.09.

Pricing policy for multiple satellites/chairs

If a player wins second and/or subsequent tickets or seats in a target tournament for which that player is already registered or has used all allowable entries, the player will be awarded tournament dollars (T$) worth the purchase amount of the target tournament less the tournament fee in lieu of the ticket or seat.

For example, if a player is already entered in a $100 buy-in tournament, where $90 goes into the prize pool and $10 is the tournament fee, and then wins a satellite tournament that allocates seats to the $100 tournament, the player will receive T$90 instead of the seat.

Tickets won through Private Tournaments or Freerolls, and tickets obtained through a promotional campaign, will not be converted to T$.

Tournament Strike policy

Many GGPoker tournaments include a strike feature, which allows players to "sell" a certain percentage of their action in the tournament after they register for the tournament and before the tournament begins.

If a player decides to sell his or her tournament stake but does not register for the tournament before it begins, the stake money will be returned to the players who purchased a stake and will not be kept by the selling player.

Refund Policy

In the event that GGPoker servers crash or an unplanned downtime of GGPoker occurs, GGPoker will refund players as described below. GGPoker will decide otherwise at its sole discretion for any other game disrupting events caused by Licensee or Licensee's players.

For Cash Games, hands in progress are reversed. Each player's chip count is reset to the amount at the beginning of the hand.

For tournaments, there are three (3) options depending on the status of the Tournament:

If the tournament has not yet started, GGPoker will refund all buy-ins and fees to registered players.
If the tournament has started and is in a late registration period (that is, when the tournament allows a user to register as a player after the fixed registration time) or if the late registration period has ended but the tournament has not reached the paid places, the remaining players will be refunded their fee and current premium (if applicable). With respect to the prize pool, (fifty) 50% will be paid equally to the remaining players at the time of cancellation, with the other (fifty) 50% being paid according to the chips to the remaining players at the time of cancellation. If the tournament has a guaranteed prize pool that has not been met or exceeded at the time of cancellation, the prize pool amount collected through player registrations will be distributed.
When the tournament has reached the paid places, the remaining players will be refunded their fee and current premium (if any). As for the prize pool, the next prize to be won will be distributed to each remaining player at the time of cancellation, with the remainder paid according to the chip count to the remaining players at the time of cancellation. All transactions, including won and lost pots, will be deposited into players' accounts at the completion of each hand.
If a tournament with a period of late registration reaches a point where the next player eliminated receives a prize (commonly known as "In The Money"), late registration may be closed regardless of the specified period for late registration found in the tournament lobby. New players can no longer register. In addition, the prize pool in such a situation is determined solely by the amount collected through player registrations, rather than the displayed guaranteed prize pool.

Please note that when calculating tournament refunds, GGPoker will determine the time the disruption begins and use the state of play in a particular tournament immediately prior to that disruption as the basis for calculating refunds. Not all players may experience a disruption at the same time.

With respect to GGPoker's Staking feature and refunds, if a player has sold action and receives a cash refund, whether equal to the initial buy-in and fee or higher, those who purchased the action will receive a portion of the total amount refunded to the backed player in proportion to the size of the bet purchased.

In the case where a player has sold action through the Strike feature and receives a substitute ticket or substitute entry instead of a cash refund, the players who purchased the action will be refunded the amounts they wagered in cash.