ACR Poker Pro Doesn't Think Unregulated Poker Site is Trying to Stop Cheating
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Nacho Barbero, an ACR Poker Pro, may have admitted what many have accused the unregulated poker site he represents of doing to combat cheating — nothing.
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner was caught on mic conversing with a critical Isaac Haxton during Wednesday's U.S. Poker Open coverage on PokerGO.
Did Poker Pro Have a Freudian Slip?
Haxton, who has represented multiple legal poker sites (PokerStars and PartyPoker) in the past, questioned his opponent getting caught having a real-time asstistance (RTA) chart up on his computer while playing on ACR Poker. The site Barbero works for defended his actions and said he was just being a "goofball."
But many poker players have criticized the poker site for failing to prevent RTA use, collusion, and cheating in general. Another ACR Pro, Ebony Kenney, was exposed weeks later for also having an RTA chart up during her play on the unregulated poker site. She, like Barbero, defended her actions and claimed she hadn't been using the RTA while in a hand.
Conrad Simpson, a poker player and Only Friends podcast co-host, clipped a video from the PokerGO stream that brings into question just how serious ACR Poker is about eliminating cheating on the US-facing poker site.
"I'm just surprised ACR didn't catch it automatically," Haxton told Barbero, referring to the recent controversy. "Did you just have GTO Wizard open on your computer and ACR doesn't even know? Are they even trying?"
"I don't think they're even trying," Barbero responded.
Barbero's response, whether he was just being a "goofball" or dead serious, received heavy criticism from poker players on X. Aaron Barone, a streamer for a licensed poker site, 888poker, joked that the video "might be AI. Can we get a friend of Nachos to investigate whether he even said it?
Lee Bradbury dropped the obvious joke, "he's just being a goofball," while the ClubWPT Gold account made sure to pile on its competitor with a note to online poker players: "Here at ClubWPT Gold we will revolutionize online poker security by...trying."
ACR Poker has faced criticism from the poker community for years over repeated cheating allegations. Barbero's comments, even if he was only half-kidding, will only add fuel to the fire.
ACR Responds
ACR addressed Barbero's comments in a social media post on Thursday, writing that "At ACR Poker we take our game integrity and our responsibility to ensure a fair and competitive environment for all players seriously" and "We expect the same from the ambassadors who represent our brand."
"That expectation has been tested a lot this year and in light of recent comments made by ACR ambassador Nacho Barbero on a live poker stream —comments which misrepresented our stance on third-party software and game integrity— we have already reached out to Nacho to discuss this event and consider his future with ACR Poker," the unregulated site wrote on X.
